PM Narendra Modi hails move to term toilets in UP as 'izzat ghar'

PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday referred to 'izzat ghar' – a term coined by the UP government for toilets.

New Delhi: In yet another push to the BJP government's 'Clean India' campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the construction of toilets ('izzat ghar') in Uttar Pradesh, which, he hoped, will prevent the dignity of Indian women. 

PM Narendra Modi referred to 'izzat ghar' – a term coined by the UP government, which links women's pride with the construction of toilets - during a speech he delivered while inaugurating the first ever All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) here.

'I was happy to know that the newly constructed toilets in UP have 'izzat ghar' written on them and not' shauchalay,''' PM said.

"When I was laying the foundation stone for toilets at a village in UP, I saw 'izzat ghar' written on them. I was happy to see the name. I congratulate the state government for coining this name," he said.

The PM further added that his government was focusing on integrating the public healthcare system with Ayurveda and Yoga.

"Ayurveda is not just a method of treatment. It encompasses social health, public health and environmental health," Modi said while inaugurating the institute, set up on the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). 

"Understanding this need, our government is stressing on integrating the public healthcare system with Yoga, Ayurveda and other AYUSH methods," the PM said.

''It is critical for Ayurveda's expansion that there is a hospital linked with it in every district which offers quality healthcare services,'' the Prime Minister said.

"The AYUSH Ministry is swiftly working in that direction, and in just three years, over 65 AYUSH hospitals have been set up," he added.

Modi further said that no country can progress if it forgets how to take pride in its heritage. 

He said attempts were made during the British Rule to weaken India's traditional methods, including that of medicine, farming and science.

"But in the last three years, the situation has been reversed to a large extent," Modi said.

"Our heritage, which is superior, is being established in the minds of the people," he stated.

He concluded by saying that his government has constructed more than 5 crore toilets in the last three years.

Speeding up the task of PM Modi’s Clean India Mission in his own parliamentary constituency Varanasi, more than 300 hamlets were recently declared open defecation free.