chandigarh

Updated: Jun 16, 2015 16:27 IST

Punjab government on Tuesday claimed that it has constructed 33 lakh toilets for rural families under the 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan', which enlists elimination of open-defecation as one of its objectives.

A government spokesperson said the total budget earmarked for this purpose was Rs 937 crore and added that 7.92 lakh families would be covered during the next three years.

Punjab is set to acquire the status of an open defecation-free state with 100 per cent toilet access by October 2017, he added.

Rs 15,000 has been provided to the each beneficiary under this unique project, he said.

A photograph of the beneficiary standing by the constructed toilet was uploaded on the website of union government in order to ensure transparency in the project and till now 18,000 such photographs have been uploaded on this website, he said.

He said the state is strengthening its campaign to provide sanitation facilities to all villages in the state.