From the ramparts of Delhi's 17th-century Red Fort, Modi vowed that his administration was on track to meet its pledge of providing power and toilets to every household across the world's second most populous nation.
Modi drew praise in his first August 15 speech in 2014 as he tackled often taboo issues such as sexual violence and a lack of toilets, promising to build one for every household within four years.
"Today I can say that in such short time, more than 20 million toilets have been built in India's villages and more than 70,000 are free of open defecation," Modi said to loud applause.
Open defecation has long been a major health and sanitation problem in India, where almost 594 million people—nearly half the population—defecate in the open, according to UNICEF.
Modi has stressed the need to clean up India since storming to power in 2014 and has repeatedly urged every household to have a toilet to end the spread of disease and illnesses such as diarrhea.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Tuesday August 16 2016, @12:25PM
in India's villages and more than 70,000 are free of open defecation
... as if seventy thousand designated shitting streets suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced.
Won't anyone think of the endangered DSS?
(Score: 3, Funny) by mrchew1982 on Tuesday August 16 2016, @02:21PM
Whole story is a load of crap
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday August 16 2016, @05:39PM
I'm mostly thinking that there are 20 million extra reasons for dumb men to keep their pants on in public, hopefully giving a little bit more breathing room to Indian women.