Thiruvananthapuram: Jalanidhi, a project of the State Government with financial aid from the World Bank aimed at expanding access to sustainable rural water supply schemes and sanitation, has played a leading role in turning Kerala into an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state, by constructing over 39,000 household toilets in 115 Jalanidhi project grama panchayats across eight districts. Jalanidhi has done this as part of Swachh Bharath Mission and by extending technical and financial support to the state government’s Suchitwa Mission.
Out of Rs 15,400 disbursed as incentive to the beneficiaries, Rs 12,000, the share of the State and Central Government, was pre-financed from Jalanidhi. The remaining Rs 3400 which was the grama panchayat’s share was funded by Jalanidhi as part of the project’s incentive to the grama panchayats. Jalanidhi project’s task team leader of World Bank, Mr Srinivasa Rao Podipereddy was instrumental in reaching out to the rural population on this score.
“Though the difficult terrains and poor accessibility to tribal hamlets among the project grama panchayats posed tough challenge, the hard work from the officers of Jalanidhi, the supporting organizations and project commissioners helped accomplish the mission in five months,” said Jalanidhi Executive Director Ms Tinku Biswal who led the team to mobilise the beneficiaries and construct the toilets.
“The construction of about 700 household toilets by Jalanidhi in the most difficult tribal grama panchayat Edamalakkudi in Idukki, was the crowning achievement,” said Ms Tinku Biswal. While Kasaragode got 5288 toilets as part fo the initiative, Kannur got 2414, Wayanad -8796, Kozhikode – 3931, Malappuram – 2557, Palakkad – 1697, Idukki – 10942 and Kottayam – 3507.
