Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Mar 8: Minister of state for drinking water and sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi on Wednesday March 8 inaugurated 'Swaccha Shakti Saptaha-2017' programme organized as part of International Women's Day celebration at Town Hall in Ajjarkad here.
Jigajinagi in his address said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working hard to turn Mahatma Gandhi's dream of making India an open defecation-free nation into reality by 2019.
"Women play an important role in Swacch Bharat Abhiyan. Nearly 3.50 crore individual toilets have been constructed after the initiation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. As many as 1.67 lac villages and 101 districts have been declared open defecation-free. Nearly 61.27 percent of the population in the country has toilets. A grant of Rs 10,500 crore has been utilised for this purpose. Every state has spent Rs 8853 of the fund amount. The union government has decided to release Rs 14,000 crore again for all states in 2016-17. Haryana, Gujarat, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Goa are in top priority to get more toilets," he said.
He further said that Karnataka has achieved great progress in cleanliness. "As many as 6829 out of 27,623 villages, 28 taluks and five districts have been declared open defecation-free here. The state has provided 5,45,987 individual toilets in the current financial year. The union government has disbursed Rs 253.43 crore for the state under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. As requested by chief minister Siddaramaiah, the centre has released Rs 419.56 crore this time," he said.
Jigajinagi concluded saying that it was everyone's responsibility to keep surroundings clean. If each individual adopts good habits of cleanliness, our country can be an open defecation free nation soon, he said.
Deputy commissioner of Udupi Priyanka Mary Francis delivered keynote address.
Chethana, State Swacch Bharat Mission convener; Sheela K Shetty, vice-president, zilla panchayat Udupi; Nalini Pradeep Rao, vice-president, taluk panchayat; Gracy Gonsalves, deputy director, women and child development department and others were present.
Congress leaders joining BJP is good: Jigajinagi
"Congress leaders joining BJP is an excellent development," said union minister of state for drinking water and sanitation, Ramesh Jigajinagi.
Speaking to media persons after participating in the women's day celebrations held in the Town Hall here, he said that Jayaprakash Hegde was his companion and he was glad that he had joined BJP.
"The union government has swiftly responded to the drought situation in the state. The union government has released Rs 1,782 crore as drought relief for the state. Rs 216 crore were released earlier. CM Siddaramaiah had asked for Rs 419 crore. I have fulfilled it after exerting special pressure on the concerned. More funds will be released at the end of March," he added.