Patna,(BiharTimes): Chief minister Nitish Kumar does not miss any opportunity to take a dig at BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.

Speaking at a Bihar Panchayati Raj Act function on Tuesday, the chief minister said some leaders are now highlighting the importance of toilets over temples though the concept was first implemented in Bihar in 2007.

Though he did not take the name of his Gujarat counterpart he said it must be mentioned that “I personally created awareness about the benefits of toilets on residential premises during the Vikas Yatra and other public meetings from 2007 to 2009.”

The chief minister said that those who do not have a toilet in their home would not be allowed to contest urban or rural local bodies’ elections in the state. The state government would bring the necessary amendments to the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act and other statutes governing the elections of urban bodies to raise public awareness about the benefits of toilets in houses.

He said the central government had a plan to build 1.11 crore toilets in the state, but government records show that over two crore families do not have a toilet in their home.

The chief minister said he personally requests every financially capable person, including those associated with governmental institutions, to get toilets built on their premise.

The chief minister said the panchayats that achieve the cent per cent target of constructing toilets will be given the Nirmal Gram Panchayat prize of Rs five lakh each. The Nirmal Prakhand award will carry Rs 25 lakh in prize for blocks for conducting a cleanliness drive.

Rural development minister Nitish Mishra also addressed the function. The function was organized by the rural development and public health engineering department (PHED).