Each Ministry To Get Additional Funds For Swachh Abhiyan In Budget 2017-18

New Delhi: With an aim to implement Swachh Bharat Abhiyan more effectively, the Centre is planning to allocate additional funds to each ministry in the budget for 2017-18, exclusively for the purpose.

The Centre is contemplating to make separate allocation of funds to all ministries and central government organisations exclusively for the clean India mission in the next year’s budget, a source said.

All departments and central government organisations have been asked to make their respective action plans for successful implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission for the next two years, the source said.

In the last two years, the sanitation coverage in the country has increased to 56.44 per cent from 42 per cent. The Centre has set a target of making entire country open defecation free by 2019.

Swachh Bharat Mission was officially launched on October 2, 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The programme is divided into two categories — Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).

The Ministry for Drinking Water and Sanitation is looking after the rural part of the scheme, while the Urban Development Ministry is implementing the programme in urban areas.

In rural areas, the scheme requires engagement with community and facilitation – both of which are picking up slowly, sources said.

For rural areas, the government is working on capacity building of key stakeholders such as collectors, zilla panchayats among others.