New Delhi, May 04: The Centre today blamed state governments for non-achievement of its target of providing sanitation facilities in all rural schools in the country by March this year.
“In case of rural sanitation, targets could not be achieved due to lack of priority given by the states to cover schools with sanitation facilities by March 2010,” Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma said in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
Under Total Sanitation Campaign, Centre had set the goal to provide sanitation facilities in all rural schools by March, 2010, she said.
Sangma, however, informed the House that the remaining schools are planned to be covered by March 2011.
She was asked whether the government had set a target of providing drinking water and sanitation facilities in all the schools of the country by the end of March this year.
She was also asked to give the status of the two programmes along with reasons, if targets set by the government could not be achieved.
According to figures available with the ministry, out of a total of 4,99,472 schools in the country, there are about 1,79,763 rural schools which are yet to be provided sanitation facilities.
Total Sanitation Campaign is a comprehensive programme of Rural Development Ministry to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas with the main goal of eradicating the practice of open defecation and ensuring clean environment.
Replying to a question on water facilities in schools of the country, Sangma informed the House that it was envisaged to cover all rural schools without drinking water facilities by the end of this year under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
“In case of drinking water, progress is not lagging behind….,” she said.
According to government statistics, about 71,816 rural schools out of a total 4,99,472 in the country are yet to be provided drinking water facility.
–PTI