Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Mr.
Jairam Ramesh today said that his ministry has prepared a cabinet note
to liberalize norms for sanitation. He said it will be brought before the cabinet for approval very soon.

Mr. Ramesh was interacting with
media at a two-day conference of State Ministers and Secretaries of Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation in New Delhi. The Minister said the present grant of 4700 rupees per household for sanitation is insufficient, which will be doubled after the cabinet approval.

He said a decision has been taken to launch a total sanitation campaign, Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan from this year. Mr Ramesh also said that a technical committee will be set up find out how saline water can be used for drinking in coastal States. The committee will also try to come up with ways to solve the problem of drinking water in
border states.

The Minister said the government has set a target to provide drinking water to rural population through pipelines by 2022.