Uttar Pradesh, Bihar among the worst performers in rural sanitation, reveals survey
Rural households in these states were found to have the least access to toilets.
Only 62.45% rural households across India have access to toilets, according to a survey released by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation on Tuesday. The report also said that 91.29% of the people who have access to toilets use them.
The Quality Council of India surveyed 1.4 lakh rural households between May and June this year. It covered 4,626 villages across all states and union territories.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh and the National Democratic Alliance-ruled Bihar were found to have the worst rural sanitation facilities. Only 30% of the rural households in Bihar had access to toilets, while Uttar Pradesh was slightly better at 37%. Jharkhand, another BJP-ruled state, scored the same as Uttar Pradesh.
“It is not even six months since we have come to power in Uttar Pradesh, but the way the chief minister has taken up the issue of cleanliness and sanitation, I am sure in the days to come, both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will see improvement,” said Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar, according to The Hindu.
Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland were found to have far better sanitation facilities in comparison. About 95% of the rural households in these states were found to have access to toilets. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand reported 90% toilet coverage in rural houses. Kerala topped the chart with 99%.