UD Ministry upgrades Swachh Mission Director post to Joint Secretary level

NEW DELHI: The government has created a post of Joint Secretary in the Union Urban Development Ministry to exclusively handle Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas.

This has been done with a view to enable focused monitoring and coordination of mission activities with all the states and union territories, by a senior officer as Mission Director.

When the Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas was approved by the government, a post of Director was approved.

Subsequently, on the proposal of the UD Ministry, the government has approved upgrading of the post of Mission Director to that of Joint Secretary level.

A senior official is expected to assume the post shortly, according to sources in Ministry.

Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas, launched on October 2, 2014 envisages construction of 1.04 crore individual household toilets in all the 4,041 statutory cities and towns besides 5.08 lakh community and public toilets and 100 per cent door-to-door collection and scientific disposal of solid waste at a cost of Rs 62,009 crore.