(Image source from: Private players like TCS)

Indian government’s renewed interest in restoring hygiene and fulfilling Narendra Modi's dream of having “swachh bharat” by 2019 takes a new turn as the government ropes in private players to achieve this ambition.

With the Prime Minister taking up the issue of health and hygiene from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day,even his ministry is now leaving no stone unturned in their efforts.

In rural India, where more than 60 percent households still practice open defecation, 4 lakh children in India die of diarrhea every year, lakhs others grow up stunted, and several lakh others are malnourished, the renewed political emphasis on sanitation is more than welcome.

Speaking at a meeting with state ministers to review rural sanitation and drinking water schemes, Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Nitin Gadkari said that the Centre would ensure adequate funding to turn the Prime Minister’s call into a reality. He is seeking State's help to achieve the goal.

“To achieve this, we not only need the support of all state machineries, but also convergence between schemes of various ministries in Government of India, state schemes and cooperation of the corporates (for utilising their Corporate Social Responsibility fund),” he said.

Several companies have already stepped forward to join the “Clean India” mission post Modi's moving rhetoric on Independence Day. Modi had also called for building toilets in all schools within a year.

The Bharti Foundation and Tata Consultancy Services pledge Rs 100 crore each from their respective CSR funds to build toilets in schools across the country.

The National Thermal Power Corporation will also help build toilets in 1000 schools. “There would not be any dearth of fund for the mission,” he said.

Deploring the fact that even after 67 years of Independence, 60 per cent of Indians defecate in open, Gadkari said the dream project of the prime minister would be executed in a mission mode.

AW: Suchorita Choudhury