The Punjab Government has decided to spend more than Rs.550 crore on the construction of toilets in rural areas in order to ensure proper hygiene in the state.
Punjab's Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra on Monday said that it is essential to have proper toilets in every household to avoid serious health hazards resulting from open defecation.
Studies show that about 44% of men and 10% of women defecate in the open in Punjab.