Use of Technology for Housing, Sanitation, Etc  

Introduction

The Government has taken several measures to make use of appropriate technologies for housing, sanitation, drinking water, and immunization in the country. 

Government has been working towards transfer of cost effective, energy-efficient, environment-friendly and disaster resistant building materials and construction technologies. A few new construction technologies, like, fly-ash bricks/blocks, cellular light weight concrete, bamboo mat corrugated sheets, bagasse slabs, wood substitute doors, ferro-cement roofing channels, etc., have been developed and are being propagated for application in housing sector. 

Indirect ventilated pit latrine and pre-fabricated ferro-cement toilets have been fabricated and widely popularized through demonstration at various places. Development of low cost sanitary napkins, using knitwear waste from hosiery industry, has been standardized and 8 manufacturing units were set up in various parts of the country for making such product. 

Under drinking water initiative, appropriate treatment processes for removal of chemical, biological and physical contaminants, rain water harvesting systems, desalination for conversion of seawater to potable water, integration of renewable sources of energy for treatment of water and faster in-situ detection of contaminants have been developed in the field and being popularized for its replication. 

As a part of National Immunization Programme, Government is currently providing different types of vaccines, viz, Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus (DPT), Polio, Hepatitis B, Measles, Japanese Encephalitis, and Pentavalent vaccine (DPT+Hepatitis B+ Haemophilus Influenzae Type B).. A web enabled Mother and Child Tracking System has been introduced for strengthening follow up of children for full immunization coverage in the country. 

A budgetary allocation of Rs 7360 Crore has been provided for the technology development initiatives concerning housing, sanitation, drinking water, immunization and related activities, during the 12th Plan period (2012-17). 

Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Shri S.Jaipal Reddy gave this information in reply to a written question in the Rajya Sabha today. 

Source

Press Information Bureau, August 19, 2013