68,000 panchayats in Bihar still to become open defecation free

Fourteen months into power, Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance government in Bihar has so far succeeded in making one subdivision, eight blocks and 152 panchayats of the state open defecation-free.

The government has resolved to make the state open defecation-free by 2019 through its resolve ‘Shauchalay Nirman, Ghar ka Sammaan’ (toilet to every household) in towns and villages of the state. This is one of the seven resolves of the Grand Alliance government in the state.

Presiding over the third meeting of the Bihar Vikas Mission, formed in January 2016, chief minister Nitish Kumar reviewed the implementation of the state government’s seven resolves and other works on Tuesday.

The state government had set a target of making the remaining 68,343 panchayats open defecation-free in the next four years. In the next three years, 7.93 lakh households of 140 municipal councils would be equipped with toilets.

The CM directed the officials to speed up implementation of the project.

Kumar also reviewed the implementation of the student credit card scheme, which promises `4 lakh interest-free loans to students for pursuing higher education.

Kumar also reviewed the self-help assistance scheme of the government. The CM had announced to provide an allowance of `1,000 per month to youths in the age group of 20-25 for two years to help them search jobs.

The officials informed the CM that so far 370 applications had been received for launching start-ups in the state. The government had formed a `500-crore venture capital fund to help young entrepreneurs start their own ventures.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of the scheme for providing free wi-fi facility in all state universities and colleges from February 2017.