New Delhi, Oct 20 (DHNS): The Centre has written to each state government to name toilets built in rural households as "izzat ghar" or "house of dignity" or any other appropriate equivalent in the local language.

Noting that the toilets in rural households in many parts of Uttar Pradesh are being named izzat ghar, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation wrote to state government's principal secretaries, who are in charge of rural sanitation, to consider doing the same in their states, too.

"It is recommended that this practice could be considered for replication in other parts of the country. Hindi-speaking areas may continue using the name izzat ghar, while other regions could come up with a corresponding term in the local language that signifies the equivalent of a house of dignity," the ministry wrote in its communique to all the state governments.

"All states are encouraged to initiate similar local initiatives and good practices that associate a sense of dignity and pride among the households with having and using toilets," stated the ministry.

The ministry has been overseeing implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission in villages across the country, with the objective of achieving a clean and open defecation- free rural India by October 2, 2019.

The ministry stated that 4.99 crore toilets have been built in villages across the country since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin in 2014. Besides, over 16.41 lakh toilets have been built under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme till March 31 this year.

Over 2.57 lakh villages, 214 districts and six states have been declared open defecation- free in the past three years.