Highlights
- The main objective of the Shouchalay Nirman Yojana is to construct toilets in nearly every urban and rural household in Bihar.
- It aims to fulfill the provisions of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and Bihar’s Lohiya Swachhata Yojana.
- Financial assistance of ₹12,000 is being provided to every eligible family in the state for constructing toilets.
- The assistance amount is disbursed in three installments under the Shouchalay Yojana.
New Delhi: The Bihar government initiated the Swachh Bihar Yojana, connecting toilet construction with the dignity of households. The Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana was launched on 27th September 2016. The primary objective of Bihar government’s Shouchalay Nirman Yojana is to construct toilets in nearly every urban and rural household in the state.
The Shouchalay Nirman Yojana in Bihar provides government assistance to construct toilets without any discrimination in every household. The aim of this scheme is to make Bihar clean and its people healthy. The government has increased the budget for the Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana to facilitate the construction of 1.68 crore toilets in the entire state within 5 years.
The joint efforts of the Central Government’s Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and Bihar’s Lohiya Swachhata Yojana aim to make the rural areas of the state open defecation free. Under this initiative, every beneficiary family in the state is provided with financial assistance of ₹12,000 for constructing toilets. The assistance amount is disbursed in three installments.
Despite the achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) statistics, the actual number of toilets built is yet to be confirmed. Many areas in Bihar still face issues like poor toilet conditions, lack of access to toilet assistance, incomplete toilet construction, and misuse of toilets for other purposes. To counter these problems, the Bihar government integrated toilet construction with the dignity of households through the Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana.
The primary objective of the Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana is to bring a change in people’s community behavior and encourage regular use of toilets. This will help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and improve the image of the state both nationally and globally.
Two separate campaigns have been initiated under the Bihar Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana:
Lohiya Swachh Bihar Abhiyan:
- The Bihar government’s rural development department is implementing the Lohiya Swachh Bihar Abhiyan.
- The aim is to provide individual toilet facilities to 1.21 crore families in the state’s rural areas and construct community sanitation centers in areas with inadequate land availability.
- Encouraging people to use toilets regularly can lead to declaring all 8,386 gram panchayats in Bihar as open defecation-free areas.
Shouchalay Nirman (Urban Areas):
- The implementation of the Shouchalay Nirman (Urban Areas) Yojana is overseen by the Bihar government’s urban development and housing department.
- The main objective is to construct 5.81 lakh individual toilets in Bihar’s urban areas.
- In areas where individual land availability is not sufficient, 66,361 community sanitation center seats will be built.
- The Shouchalay Yojana’s benefit is extended to all eligible families in urban areas without any discrimination.
- People who provide land for constructing toilets will receive assistance for individual toilets, while those without land will receive access to community sanitation centers.
Eligibility for Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana:
- Applicants must fall below the poverty line.
- Beneficiaries include BPL families, scheduled caste, and scheduled tribe members, landless individuals, differently-abled individuals, and families led by women.
- Only those without existing toilets are eligible for the scheme.
Documents Required for Bihar Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana:
- Permanent residence certificate of Bihar.
- Income certificate.
- Aadhar card.
- Voter ID card.
- Bank account details.
The Shouchalay Nirman-Ghar Ka Samman Yojana is a crucial step taken by the Bihar government to ensure better sanitation facilities for its citizens while upholding their dignity. By providing access to toilets for every household, the state is making significant progress in improving public health and hygiene. Additionally, the initiative aligns with the larger vision of a clean and healthy India under the Swachh Bharat Mission. With active participation from the government, communities, and individuals, Bihar is moving closer to becoming a model for other states to follow in terms of sanitation and dignity.