Siddaramaiah’s Swachh message: Water, sanitation policies have to change for a clean Bharat
Bengaluru: Raising several pertinent issues including seeking more funds from the Union government for the successful implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission, Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah on Wednesday appealed to the Centre to bring changes in the national water policy and drinking water policy to implement the mission successfully across the country.
Delivering his opening remarks at the NITI Ayog’s Chief Ministers on Swachh Bharat Abhiyana’s sub-group’s third meeting here, Mr Siddaramaiah said, “Water is not included under Swachh Bharat and all of us will agree that without adequate water there can be no proper sanitation. Unfortunately, the domestic cattle or animal water requirement in rural areas is not taken into account in our calculations, which we now need to focus upon”.
He also suggested that certain amendments to the Environment Protection Act. “At present state governments do not have rule making powers on issues related to the environment. The governments should be given a free hand in framing rules for regulating the environment,” he said. Coming down heavily on the inadequate funding for the mission, Mr Siddaramaiah asserted that Swachh Bharat was a flagship programme of the Centre, therefore, the union government needs to provide the necessary funding. “Swachh Bharat should be a Centrally-sponsored scheme with a funding rate of 90:10 between the Centre and the States,” he added.
He also declared that the state would not increase tax in order to ensure that Swacch Bharat was implemented as Karnataka was already considered a highly taxed state. “Even if we try to increase tax, the funds that one would obtain from such a measure would not be adequate to fund Swachh Bharat,” he contended.
According to him, as per the current guidelines under the Swachh Bharat Mission, a total of Rs 955.76 crore will be spent (Central share of Rs 716.82 crore and state share of Rs 238.94 crore).
“If the subsidy for individual toilets is to be on par with that given in rural areas and additional support is made for community and public toilets, then the total requirement of funds for effective implementation will be Rs 2174.76 crore,” he said. He also demanded that the sewerage component should be included in Swachh Bharat Mission.
“Union government needs to provide Rs 600 crore assistance to the Urban Local Bodies. It is the contention of the union government that sanitation is a state subject, therefore, the states should provide the necessary resources. This kind of thinking will not take us anywhere,” he observed.
