Patna,(BiharTimes): Only one-fourth of 2.13 crore rural households in Bihar have toilets.

This was stated by Public Health and Engineering Department Minister Krishnandan Prasad Verma, while replying to the question of BJP member Krishna Kumar Singh in the state Legislative Council on Wednesday.

Out of 2.13 crore rural households, 50.76 lakh have toilets. Toilets are yet to be constructed in the remaining 1.63 crore households, the minister informed the House.

He said 33 gram panchayats have so far been declared 'open defecation free'.

Leader of Opposition in the House Sushil Kumar Modi said by this pace merely 30 to 35 lakh toilets would be built in the next five years. He asked as to how the government would be able to complete construction of 1.63 crore toilets and from where the state government would get Rs 22,000 crore required for this purpose.