Smriti Irani tells states to plan for construction of toilets for girls in schools

New Delhi: Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday directed all state governments to prepare an action plan for the construction of toilets for girls in government schools by July next year.

Irani's directive follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi Swacch Bharat campaign mentioned in his Independence day speech.

The PM had urged Indians to make the country a clean and healthy place. "Do we want to live in filth," Modi asked.

He had said keeping the country clean was "a big task" and it would need everyone's cooperation and aimed to make India a clean place by 2019 to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who the prime minister said was a staunch believer in cleanliness.