-PTI The Prime Minister on Thursday launched three missions on Smart Cities, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, and Housing for All. States and Union Territories will have a greater say in implementation of the three flagship schemes for urban development launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, as per the guidelines issued. Operational guidelines for implementation of Smart Cities, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Housing for...

-The Indian Express According to government data, percentage of households without toilets in Odisha is an alarming 88 per cent. Odisha and Bihar, two states which have consistently demanded a special category status from the Centre on account of being backward, figure among the worst states in India when it comes to household toilets. According to the Baseline Survey – 2012 report of the Swachh Bharat Mission under the aegis of the Ministry...

-The Telegraph Ahmedabad: If "pay and use" toilets can't slay the demon of open defecation, perhaps "get paid for not using" will. So believes the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, which plans to shame the city's dump-it-in-the-open brigade by catching them in the act every morning and paying them Re 1 on the spot. Will this not be an incentive for the offenders to stick to the old habit rather than shed it? Civic health...

-Tehelka The country has egg on its face but not in its diet, as the Global Hunger Index reveals acute malnutrition Swachh Bharat Mission, if implemented in a holistic fashion, holds the key to curbing not only the problem of diarrhoeal deaths for which India holds the world record, but also malnutrition. However, the World Toilet Summit, which was held in the national capital this year as part of the Mission, was...

-The Hindu PSUs fare better; only 16 corporates, big and small, have shown some interest in the endeavour. The Narendra Modi government has been facing accusations of being “corporate-friendly,” but it seems to be a one-way street when it comes to the corporates loosening their purse strings to contribute to the Swachh Vidyalaya (Clean School) campaign. According to the progress report card of the Swachh Vidyalaya, Swachh Bharat (Clean School, Clean India) campaign,...