The Centre has decentralised implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas, and has targeted private investment of ₹42,512 crore.

“The Ministry of Urban Development has withdrawn itself from appraisal and approval of various project proposals under the Swachh Bharat Mission… and urban local bodies (ULBs) and State/UT Governments have been fully empowered to propose and approve projects,” an official statement said on Friday.

Quicker execution The decentralisation would augment capacities of urban local bodies, besides enabling quicker implementation of the mission, under which cleanliness is to be ensured by 2019 across 4,041 towns and cities.

Urban local bodies are now authorised to prepare, sanction and implement projects in respect of constructing individual household toilets, besides community and public toilets, under the broad directions of State/Union Territory governments.

“Out of the total project cost of ₹62,009 crore, Central assistance would be ₹14,623 crore, while the States/UTs would be required to contribute ₹4,874 crore,” the Ministry said.

Under different components of the mission in urban areas, States would make a matching contribution of 25 per cent of the share of Centre, while North-Eastern and Special Category States would need to pitch in 10 per cent of Central share. Accordingly, a private investment of ₹42,512 crore is being targeted, the Ministry said.

Component-wise, the Centre will provide an incentive of ₹4,000 for 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, it said.

Private investments To finance building of public toilets, States and urban local bodies can identify land and go for advertisements to encourage private investment for construction and maintenance through public-private partnership agreements, it added.

As much as 15 per cent of the total Central allocation (₹2,139 crore) has been earmarked for behaviour change communication to sensitise urbanites and ₹428 crore will be used for capacity building of urban local bodies.

Also, ₹2,924 crore (20 per cent of central share) has been earmarked as performance fund out of which allocation will be made to performing States/UTs.

The mission aims to build one crore individual household toilets besides 2.52 crore community toilet seats and 2.56 crore community toilet seats.

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