By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 7, 2016 : The Odisha government on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sulabh International Social Services to develop 5,957 toilet seats across nine cities in the state under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

The MoU was signed at the state secretariat in presence of Housing and Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singh Deo under which the toilets called “Ama Sauchalaya” will be built.

The toilets termed as `hybrid’ will be developed near slum clusters and can be used both by the slums dwellers (community) as well as outsiders (public). For this, the residents of the slums will have to shell out a sum of Rs 50 per family per month to use the facility. On the other hand, public toilets will be charged as per individual rates payable for use of any public toilet.

“Making urban areas open defecation free is a challenge. Hybrid toilets will serve the purpose to great extent,” Housing and Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singh Deo said.

Incidentally, Smart City Bhubaneswar will have the major share of 1,691 toilets seats and the toilet complexes will house five, seven and ten seats each. The remaining cities to benefit from the hybrid toilet scheme include Cuttack, Balasore, Puri, Berhampur, Bhadrak, Rourkela, Baripada, and Sambalpur.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Anant Narayan Jena said, the hybrid toilets will help in keeping the city clean, green and smart.