In realization of the importance of sanitation for improving the quality of life and its impact on productivity, Ministry of Rural Development has been making concerted efforts to ensure total sanitation coverage. The ministry has also set for itself the target of 2012 for achieving total sanitation coverage which is more ambitious than that of the UN sponsored date which is 2015.

The ‘Central Rural Sanitation Programme’ (CRSP) launched in 1986 aims at improving the quality of life of the rural poor and to provide privacy and dignity to women in rural areas. In 1999, ‘Total Sanitation Campaign’ (TSC) under restructured CRSP was launched to promote sanitation in rural areas.

The Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) is a community-led and people-oriented programme. The objective is to make it a demand-driven campaign through creation of awareness and provision of sanitary facilities in educational institutions such as schools, anganwadis and in individual houses, which will result in inculcating hygienic practices amongst the young and in adults.

Special thrust has also been given on school sanitation and hygiene education. An incentive scheme called Nirmal Gram Puraskar has been launched for Panchayati Raj Institutions which are successful in eliminating the practice of open defecation in their jurisdiction. In 2001, only about 22% of the rural families access to households toilets. Due to the success of the Total Sanitation campaign, the percentage h gone up to 62.94% of the number of households in 2001 and 56.57% of the projected population 2008 as per the latest available figures

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Rural development in union budget 2010- 2011

1. The budget 2010-11 provides a total of Rs. 66100 crore rupees for Rural Development.

2. The total Central plan outlay for Department of Rural Development has been kept Rs. 76,100 crore which includes Rs. 10,000 crore IEBR (Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources)

3. Allocation for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has been stepped up to Rs. 40,100 crore from 39,100 crore in 2010-11.

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4. Unit cost under Indira Awas Yojna has been increased to Rs. 45000 in plain areas and Rs. 48500 in the hilly areas.

5. Allocation for Indira Awas Yojna has been increased from Rs. 8800 crore in Budget 2009-10 to Rs. 10,000 crore in 2010-11.

6. Allocation to Backward Region Grant Fund has been enhanced by 26% from 5800 crore in 2009-10 to 7300 crore in 2010-11.

7. Additional central assistance of Rs. 1200 Crore has been provided for drought mitigation in the Bundelkhand region.