New Delhi: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 under Section 19 provides for Norms and Standards for a school. The appropriate Governments have the responsibility and mandate to provide school infrastructure including drinking water facility and toilets in schools in accordance with the norms prescribed in the Schedule to the RTE Act, 2009 and respective State RTE Rules. All States and UTs have been advised to comply with the provision of the RTE Act, 2009 which interalia states that every school building should have safe and adequate drinking water facilities to all children; and separate toilets for boys and girls.
The Central Government supports States and Union Territories (UTs) for creation and augmentation of infrastructure facilities including drinking water and toilet facilities in schools across the country under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). Ministry of Human Resource Development annually sanctions drinking water and toilet facilities in elementary schools under SSA and in secondary schools under RMSA to the States/UTs based on the gap determined by Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) database and proposals received from States/UTs. Since inception of SSA in 2001 till 30.09.2017, 2.41 lakh drinking water and 10.53 lakh toilet facilities in elementary schools have been sanctioned, out of which 2.32 lakh drinking water facilities and 9.90 lakh toilets have been constructed by the respective States/UTs. Under RMSA, 24,546 water facilities and 65,882 toilets in secondary schools have been sanctioned to States/UTs till 2017-18, out of which 17,749 water facility and 44,692 toilets have been constructed by the respective State/UT.
Under Swachh Vidyalaya initiative 4.17 lakh toilets in 2.61 lakh Government elementary and secondary schools have been constructed / re-constructed in one year in association with States, UTs, Public Sector Undertakings and private corporate, to achieve the target of separate toilets for girls and boys in schools.
