121 village panchayats get Nirmal Gram Puraskar

Bangalore, May 4 (UNI) Setting up a trend towards improving sanitation facilities in villages, 121 gram panchayats in Karnataka has won the 'National Nirmal Gram Puraskar', under Union Government sponsored Total Sanitation Campaign.

According to an official release here today, the award was received by Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Minister S A Ravindranath from President A P J Abdul Kalam in New Delhi. The Minister was accompanied by the gram panchayat Presidents.

The panchayats got Rs 50,000 to Rs 5,00,000 based on population.

The award was given for those gram panchayats which had ensured accessibility of toilets for all, including child-friendly toilets in schools, best methods of solid and liquid waste management and availability of drinking water in all villages.

UNI