Kolkata, March 28 (IANS): The "Sabar Souchagar" (toilet for all) project in West Bengal's Nadia district, framed under the state's "Nirmal Bangla" initiative and aimed at promoting cleanliness and sanitation in rural Bengal, has been shortlisted for the United Nations Public Services Award 2015.

"The United Nations Public Services Awards Committee has shortlisted the project for the prestigious international UN Public Services Award 2015," state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Saturday.

Besides the UN, Banerjee said Britain-based Loughborough University has also selected the project as "an inspiring district-level model for eliminating open defecation in India" and it would be felicitated at the 38th WEDC International Conference in London in July 2015.

"My best wishes to team Nadia for this outstanding achievement," she said.

Last month, over 2.5 lakh people in the district vowed not to defecate in the open.

The district administration has already constructed around 2.72 lakh toilets during the last one and a half years and another 42,000 are to be completed within April this year.