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Govt launches Swachh Bharat Kosh to channelise public funds

The fund would seek ‘channelisation of philanthropic contributions and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds’, according to the guidelines issued by the government.

‘The Kosh will be used to achieve the objective of improving cleanliness levels in rural and urban areas, including in schools. It may also be enabled to bring out innovative/unique projects and girl toilets will be the priority area to start with,’ the guidelines said.

It said the Prime Minister himself will acknowledge contributions of over Rs 1 crore made by individuals and of over Rs 20 crore by corporates.

The Kosh will be set up by the Ministry of Finance and will be managed by a Governing Council headed by Expenditure Secretary. Its functioning will be monitored on quarterly basis by the Finance Minister and by the Prime Minister from time-to-time.

The implementation of the projects/activities would be carried out by the existing institutions at the state, district, and sub district level and no new institutions would be created.

On 2 October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the country’s biggest-ever cleanliness drive that is expected to cost over Rs 62,000 crore. The objective of the drive is to achieve a Clean India by the year 2019, the 150th year of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The guidelines said specific suggestions regarding creation of assets, coming from donors making contributions of more than Rs 10 crore, may also be considered by the ministries.

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