Govt to make provision in budget for Swachhata Action Plan

NEW DELHI: The government plans to allocate funds in the upcoming budget for implementation of 'Swachhata Action Plan' by various departments.

"We are trying to bring provision for it (Swachhata Action Plan) in the budget on February 1," Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha today said.

Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer said that the government is working on Swachhata Action Plan which will be a two-year programme.

"Every government department will have their own action plan and we are trying that there is budgetary allocation for it," Iyer said.

In last fiscal, the government collected Rs 10,000 crore from Swachch Bharat Cess, Iyer said.

Sinha said that Department of Telecom, BSNL, MTNL, Department of Posts have carried out Swachhata Camp on voluntary basis which has inspired many to be part of it.

"Gradually, Swachh Bharat is becoming people's movement. When officials of the government department and PSUs take up this drive, it adds value by engaging people with the spirit of this mission," Sinha said.