Lok Sabha Question No. 133 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-25
Subject: Toilets in Schools
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA, ANTO  ANTONY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 133 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 TH  APRIL, 2016

## Toilets in Schools

## 133. SHRI PINAKI MISRA: SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Government proposes to provide standard quality toilets in the schools across the country, especially for girls and if so, the amount fixed for the construction of each unit of the toilet in schools;
- (b) whether the Government has maintained any statistics regarding number of schools not having toilets in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the guidelines issued by the Government to construct toilets in schools;
- (d) whether  the  Government  provides/  proposes  to  provide  any  assistance  to  the  State Governments for the construction of toilets and if so, the details thereof ; and
- (e) whether the Government has received any feedback from the State Governments in this regard and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) The  Government  of  India  has  prioritized  education  of  girls'  children  and accordingly,  launched  Swachh  Vidyalaya  initiative  across  the  country  for  construction  of separate  girls'  and  boys'  toilets  in  all  government  schools.  The  Department  of  School Education  &  Literacy  supports  States  and  UTs  for  construction  of  school  infrastructure including  toilets  under  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA)  and  Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Siksha Abhiyan  (RMSA)  based  on  Schedule  of  Rates  (SoRs)  notified  by  the  respective  State Government, to improve access to elementary and secondary schools.
- (b) With  the  construction  of  4,17,796  toilets  in  2,61,400  elementary  and  secondary schools within one year from 15.08.2014 to 15.08.2015 under Swachh Vidyalaya initiative,

all  government  schools  now  have  gender  segregated  toilets  for  girls  and  boys.    Data  on construction of toilets have been hosted on the Ministry's website and is in public domain.

- (c) The  Schedule  to  the  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE) Act, 2009 provides for separate toilets for boys and girls in all recognized schools. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Framework provides that all new school buildings, Block Resource Centres and Cluster Resource Centres should be provided separate and adequate toilets and drinking water facilities for boys and girls according to enrollment of children.  The Framework also states  that  existing  school  buildings  have  to  be  provided  toilets  and  drinking  water  in convergence with other schemes. The Department of School Education & Literacy supports States and UTs for construction of school toilets on incremental basis and as per the approved Annual Work Plan & Budget of respective State/UT. The Department of School Education & Literacy has also allowed repair/reconstruction of dysfunctional toilets in schools under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme as per State SoRs.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has advised the Panchayati Raj Departments of all States to include the provision for construction of toilets in schools while utilizing funds from the Fourteenth Finance Commission devolved directly to Gram Panchayats.

- (d) Details of funds released under SSA and RMSA programmes for all the approved activities including construction of school toilets during last four years are as under:

(Rs in crore)

| Year    | Central Release   | Central Release   |
|---------|-------------------|-------------------|
|         | SSA               | RMSA              |
| 2012-13 | 23836.56          | 3162.86           |
| 2013-14 | 24735.10          | 2934.88           |
| 2014-15 | 24030.16          | 3389.50           |
| 2015-16 | 21590.14          | 3561.61           |

- (e) All States and UTs have actively participated in the Swachh Vidyalaya initiative.

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