Bangalore: Close to 60 lakh rural households may have their own toilets by 2009, if the tie-up between the Department of Posts and the Karnataka Government reaches its target.

Under an MoU signed here on Wednesday, grameena dak sevaks who manage sub-post offices in villages and deliver letters to almost every family, will be trained to explain to the villagers why it is important to have their own toilets in the interest of overall sanitation and public health.

The MoU was signed by Chief Post Master General (Karnataka) Meera Dutta and Principal Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayat Raj), M.R. Srinivasa Murthy in the presence of Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation S.A. Ravindranath.

The Minister explained that the total sanitation programme, conducted between 2005 and 2009, also provides funding of Rs. 1,200 to every rural household to have its own toilet.

Panchayats that achieve a 100 per cent target would get incentives, including a Nirmala Grama Award. During 2005-06, 4.80 lakh households built their own toilets.

"It amounts to a great change in their mindset and giving up the habits of centuries. It will help our efforts to curb the spread of infections like chikungunya and dengue," he said.

He also released the first batch of the 25 paise postcards with the message about rural sanitation.

Mr. Srinivasa Murthy said having covered almost five lakh rural households, the Government was optimistic of reaching total coverage. "The village postman has a social standing and a message from him will be taken seriously by villagers. Our department needed a link to every village and the Postal department has provided that," he remarked.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail