New Delhi: Four public sector companies under the petroleum and natural gas ministry are going to contribute towards making Tripura an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) executive director Gautam Kumar Singha Roy said. Apart from ONGC, Indian Oil Corp, Oil India Ltd and Gas Authority of India Ltd are the other companies that will provide the finance assistance for the scheme.

The state-owned energy companies will provide Rs 80 crore to the north-eastern state, the executive director announced to the media with a view to make the state ODF. The announcement was made after handing a cheque of Rs 20 crore to the state's chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

With a contribution of Rs 80 crore, a total of 67,430 Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) can be constructed in the state, the ONGC executive director, also the head of ONGC's Tripura asset, said.

"To realise the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country ODF by October 2, ONGC has been extending its support," Singha Roy said. The CM informed that in order to reach the ODF status, a new scheme — Jibandhara State Water and Sanitation Mission (JSWSM) — has been set up to cover at least 3.50 lakh families. With a contribution of Rs 80 crore, a total of 67,430 Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) can be constructed in the state, the ONGC executive director, also the head of ONGC's Tripura asset, said.

He added that the contribution was a part of the state-run company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), with the state-run company deciding to give Rs 25 crore to the JSWSM. The other Rs 5 crore will be given later, officials said.

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