Sanitation In India

Municipal bodies must impose proper user charges for facilities: RBI report

Municipal corporations need to impose adequate user charges for essential services like water supply and sanitation, to boost non-tax revenues and provide quality public services, according to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report. The 'Report on Municipal Finances' delves into the fiscal position of 232 municipal corporations (MCs) from 2019-20 to 2023-24 (Budget Estimates), with a focus on the theme 'Own Sources of Revenue Generation in Municipal Corporations: Opportunities and Challenges'. "MCs can significantly enhance them (non-tax revenues) by applying appropriate and adequate fees and user charges for essential services such as water supply, sanitation, and waste management while also ensuring seamless availability of high-quality public services," it said. These measures, combined with more transparent and accountable governance practices, can contribute to bolstering the financial health of MCs, setting off a virtuous cycle of better services for the public, stronger revenue

Budget 2024: Mere 0.5% boost to department of drinking water and sanitation

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has received a budgetary allocation of Rs 77,390.68 crores for the fiscal year 2024-2025. This figure reflects a minimal increase of only 0.5 per cent from the revised estimate of Rs 77,032.65 crore announced in budget 2023-2024. A substantial portion of this financial year's allotment for the Drinking Water and Sanitation department is directed towards the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which received Rs 69,926.65 crore, a marginal rise from the revised estimate of Rs 69,846.31 crore in 2023-2024. This flagship programme aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household by 2024, focusing on ensuring regular and adequate water supply. Additionally, the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation (SPM-NIWAS) has been allocated Rs 95 crore, a huge rise from the Rs 3 crore it got in the last revised estimate. The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), which focuses on maintaining Open Defecation

MCD to regularise 5,000 sanitation workers next week: Delhi Mayor

The MCD will make 5,000 contractual sanitation workers permanent next week, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said on Saturday. "We will make 5,000 sanitation workers of the municipal corporation permanent next week," Oberoi told reporters here, adding that this was the Kejriwal government's gift to the workers on the occasion of 'Valmiki Jayanti'. Earlier in the day, the mayor inaugurated a few development projects of construction of roads and drains in Rohini Sector 23. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has plans to build polyclinics and mohalla clinics in Rohini, an official statement quoted Oberoi as saying during the event. The work on building a community hall in the area too will be expedited, the statement said, adding that the mayor has instructed the officials to identify the land to start the construction of the community building. As part of its park revamp project in Rohini, the MCD will install high mast lights, benches and street lights in all the parks, according to

Rajasthan elections: Govt submits traffic and sanitation plan to HC

Jaipur's development plan includes sewage plant upgrades, new traffic measures, but critics remain skeptical

Chhattisgarh CM Baghel writes to PM Modi over toilet facilities, arrears

In the letter, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that around 1.5 million families still do not have access to advanced toilet facilities, despite the state being declared open-defecation-free (ODF)

Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International passes away at 80

Bindeshwar Pathak established the Sulabh International Social Service in 1970, to resolve the country's sanitation problems

Health ministry working on menstrual policy to ensure safe products

The Union Health Ministry is working on formulating a national menstrual hygiene policy that seeks to ensure access to safe and hygienic menstrual products, improve sanitation facilities, address social taboos and foster a supportive environment. Through these measures, the policy strives to break barriers, eliminate stigma and create a society where menstrual hygiene is prioritised and leads to gender equality, education and overall development, official sources said. A national consultation with various stakeholders was held and in-person inputs have been collated, the sources told PTI. "The vision is to ensure all women, girls and persons who menstruate are able to experience menstruation in a manner that is safe, healthy and free from stigma," a source said. Awareness has increased with time but there is a need for more investment to comprehensively address the diverse requirements of all individuals who menstruate. India, with its vast and diverse population, places great ...

Mandaviya releases 5th family health report, improved sanitation witnessed

Between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5, the use of clean cooking fuel (44% to 59%) and improved sanitation facilities (49% to 70%), including a hand-washing facility with soap and water (60% to 78%) have improved

Haryana CM announces hike in salary of sanitation workers by up to Rs 2,000

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced an increase in the salaries of sanitation workers in both rural and urban areas in the state

Few sanitation workers getting training, info on health checkups: Survey

Sanitation workers and rag-pickers face risk from the handling of unmarked medical waste emerging from homes where Covid-19 patients are quarantined

Modi's Swachh Bharat man, Param Iyer calls it a day as sanitation secy

Iyer was given a year's extension to take on the task of providing drinking water to all households by 2024 in February this year.

Sharp hike in demand for work under MGNREGA; ministry may seek more funds

A PTI report quoting senior officials says that the way demand for work has risen under the scheme during the first three months, sizeable fund allocation will be needed to meet the demand.

Letter to BS: Kerala's huge sanitation drive a benchmark for other states

The land of the government, public sector undertakings and cooperative institutions would be utilised for this purpose

Death in a deep sewer

One sanitation worker dies every five days, but compensation is mostly denied

Cheering for toilets but with caution

Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MoDWS) commissioned two private consultancies, IPE Global and Kantar, to conduct a nationwide survey to verify India's ODF status

Rs 5 trillion needed for Har Ghar Jal, says water resources ministry

Equal contribution of Rs 1.8 trillion may come from states and Centre; remaining through convergence of govt schemes

Africa's sanitation challenge

African cities are bringing water long distances; losing much in distribution and spending all they have in supplying expensive water to some and never all

Sustaining sanitation

Most time-bound campaigns generate a burst of excitement but, in many cases, their impact eventually fizzles away with time

Toilet mystery: Blaming and shaming not the way

Lack of sanitation is leading to avoidable deaths of infants, and underweight and stunted children

Why India needs to count its broken toilets

Data show that a lower proportion of schools have working toilets for girls than they have for boys