File photo of Union Rural Development Minister Birender Singh.
Nearly 95 lakh toilets were set up in rural India in the last one year since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Rural Development Minister Birender Singh said today.
The number of toilets constructed was more than the target of 60 lakh, Mr Singh said releasing a coffee table book on Swachh Bharat Mission.
He said states like West Bengal, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have taken the lead in construction of individual household latrines and community toilets and these states may achieve the target of open-defecation free status in 2017 or 2018 well before the target of October 2, 2019.
Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on October 2, 2014, as one of the largest national campaigns to make the country open defecation free in five years.
The Minister said that the government is committed to driving a pan-India mass movement towards improved sanitation and this is only possible through the collaborative efforts of the people of India.
Changing age-old attitudes and mindsets towards open defecation is critical in attaining the Swachh Bharat goals, he added.