The Union Urban Development Ministry has given urban local bodies the powers for appraisal and approval of Swachh Bharat Mission project proposals in all 4,041 statutory towns and cities.
Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has approved the implementation guidelines, which empower the State governments and the civic bodies to propose and approve the projects.
Ministry officials said the civic bodies had been authorised to prepare, sanction and implement projects to construct household, community and public toilets under the broad directions of the governments of the States and the administrations of Union Territories, which would approve solid-waste management project proposals.
“The Minister is of the view that decentralisation will augment capacities of urban local bodies, besides enabling quicker implementation of the mission,” an official said.
Of the Rs. 62,009-crore project cost, Central assistance will be Rs. 14,623 crore, while the States and the Union Territories will be required to contribute Rs. 4,874 crore.
The States will match a contribution of 25 per cent of the Centre’s share under different components of the mission. A private investment of Rs. 42,512 crore is being targeted under the programme in urban areas.
“Component-wise, the Central government will provide an incentive of Rs. 4,000 in respect of each individual household toilet to be built, 40 per cent as grant or viability gap fund [VGF] for community toilets and 20 per cent grant/VGF in respect of solid-waste management projects. Public toilets will be built entirely with private investment,” the official said.
Nearly 15 per cent of the total Central allocation — Rs. 2,139 crore — has been earmarked for behaviour change communication to sensitise urban populations to the ills of open defecation and the importance of proper use and maintenance of toilets and prevention of manual scavenging.
