INTEGRATED LOW COST SANITATION SCHEME
In order to eliminate the dehumanizing practice of physically carrying night soil, the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Urban Low Cost Sanitation was initiated in 1981 by the Ministry of Home affairs and later implemented through the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. From 1989-90, it came to be operated through the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty alleviation (now being implemented by Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty alleviation) since 2003-04. The scheme envisages conversion of dry latrines into low cost twin pit sanitary latrines and liberation of scavengers through total elimination of manual scavengers. The scheme has been taken up on a ‘whole town basis’ and is being operated through the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) by providing a mix of subsidy from the Central Government and loan from the HUDCO in a synchronized manner as per the following financial pattern :
| Category | Subsidy | Loan | Beneficiary Contribution |
| EWS | 45% | 50% | 5% |
| LIG | 25% | 60% | 15% |
| MIG/HIG | Nil | 75% | 25% |
In the Tenth Plan, an amount of Rs. 200 crores has been allocated for the scheme. The details of amounts released year-wise and units constructed/ converted during the Tenth Plan are given below::
| Tenth Plan | Subsidy Released | Units constructed/ converted |
| 2002 - 2003 | 4.80 Crore | 194927 |
| 2003 – 2004 | 4.80 Crore | 31993 |
| 2004 – 2005 | 20.00 Crore | 186316 |
| 2005-2006 | 2.00 Crore | 188052 |
| 2006-2007 | Nil | 15729 |
| (as on 30.06.2006) |
The RE for the scheme for 2006-07 is Rs. 25.00 crore.