Amina, a widow in her late 40s and mother of a minor boy, is working as a labourer to earn her livelihood. (Express Photo/Representational) Amina, a widow in her late 40s and mother of a minor boy, is working as a labourer to earn her livelihood. (Express Photo/Representational)

In an act that has drawn widespread praise, a poverty-stricken woman in Bihar has built a toilet in her home with the money she made out of begging, IANS has reported. With no help from anywhere, Amina Khatoon, of Pathra Uttar village in flood-prone Koshi region, went asking for money in the neighbouring villages, an official said on Monday.

Amina said a mason and a labourer, who helped in the construction of the toilet, refused to take their wages as they were moved by her commitment. On Sunday, Amina was felicitated for her extraordinary effort at a function organised by the district administration in her village.

A widow in her late 40s and mother of a minor boy, Amina works as a labourer to earn her livelihood.

Pointing out the official apathy towards the poor despite the hype around Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Amina said the block level officials ignored her plea when she approached them for funds to construct a toilet.

Bihar is worse off in terms of eradication of open defecation in the country is concerned. Millions of people in Bihar still practice open defecation and not a single district in the state has so far been declared ODF (Open Defecation Free).

The state government has, however. targeted an ODF Bihar by October 2, 2019, under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G).

With IANS inputs

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