In Jammu and Kashmir, an 87-year-old woman from Udhampur district spent her waking hours building a toilet near her house in a bid to make her village open-defecation free. She said, 'I'm happy that more and more people are coming forward now to build toilets in their houses."


India is expected to be open defecation free by October, 2019, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said after launching the 'Swachhta Hi Sewa' (Cleanliness is Service) campaign of the Ministry of Home Affairs.


The home minister said for cleanliness, the central government was implementing a Rs 12,000-crore action plan through 76 ministries and departments.


"Providing toilet facility at home will ensure safety and dignity of women. 'Swachhta Hi Sewa' campaign will help improve nutrition and productivity of our children," he said.


The home minister said Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Haryana and Uttarakhand have already been declared open defecation free.