MARGAO: Curtorim Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has said that bio-digester toilets under the Swacch Bharat Missions should have been constructed entirely free of cost.
He said that people in his constituency have complained against the scheme. “The government has threatened people that if the beneficiary applies and doesn’t pay the money, they will deduct it from other welfare schemes,” he said.
The scheme for making Goa open defection free is facing a major roadblock in its implementation. According to the scheme, the government provides a subsidy of around Rs 40,000 to Rs 47,000 whereas the beneficiaries have to pay Rs 10,000 (General category, Rs 5000 (OBC) and Rs 2500 (BPL/SC/ST). However, people have been approaching MLAs for money to pay for the scheme.
One opposition MLA who didn’t want to be named informed that his constituents have been approaching him with the request of Rs 10,000. Hesaid that other MLAs are also facing the same problem.
Interestingly, under the earlier Sulabh Shauchalaya Scheme the central government provided Rs 25,000 per toilet as compared to Rs 40,000 under Swacch Bharat Mission, and the beneficiary did not have to contribute any amount.
“If the Central government has increased its funding by Rs 15,000, why is the State government imposing this burden on poor people? The State government has to waive the beneficiaries’ share immediately,” the MLA said.
