Hyderabad: The bio-toilets developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation would bring about "a revolution" in rural areas, and the government had set its sights on ending open defecation in the country, Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday.
The NDA government was pushing the initiative in a bigger way than the previous government, he said. "This time we want to go in a big way. The Prime Minister has already declared 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan'. He (PM) said by 2019 India should become Swachh Bharat. For that you need to provide toilet to each household both in rural and urban areas. This bio-toilet is something that is affordable and nature-friendly," said Naidu.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a conference on advanced avionics at DRDO research centre Imarat, Naidu said that the DRDO had set up bio-toilets (called bio-digester) for Army in certain areas. "Now it has to be used for civilian population also."
These affordable toilets would usher in revolutionary change in people's lives, he added. "The PM has also talked about building separate toilets for girls at schools. There also bio-toilet can be used."
DRDO had developed many innovative products such as high nutrition food packets, mosquito repellents, mobile water treatment plants, medical equipment, etc which were useful but government departments should promote them, he said.
"I intend to promote these products in Urban Development Ministry....Other ministries will also follow," he said.
"There is a need to take advantage of science and technology to better the lives of people," he said.
To a question on Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Naidu said, "JNNRUM was scrapped by the previous (UPA) government and not by me. The previous government had said that JNNURM will be operational up to 2012 and then it extended it twice. On March 31, 2014 it ceased to exist."
The Centre was about to finalise a new mission in place of JNNURM, the minister added.
On a question on the Planning Commission, Naidu said, "The Planning commission has outlived its purpose. The exercise is going on to (replace) it. Nothing has been decided yet."
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