NEW DELHI: With less than half its population covered by sanitation facilities, India is the second worst in the world in this regard, next only to China, according to WaterAid India, an international organisation working on water, sanitation and hygiene.
According to a Unicef report, only 30% of the Indian population had access to proper sanitation though recent government figures say it's increased to nearly 47%.
Despite significant investments over the last 20 years, India still faces the most daunting sanitation challenge among countries in South Asia. It lags behind other South Asian countries like Bangladesh (4th ) and Pakistan (7th), said Depinder S Kapur of WaterAid India.
The booming population of towns coupled with poor drainage facilities make urban sanitation India's biggest challenge today. WaterAid says sanitation plays a vital role in reducing poverty. There is compelling evidence to show that sanitation brings the single greatest return on investment as compared to any development intervention (up to $9 for every $1 spent), it said.
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