All urban areas in Kerala would be Open Defecation Free zones by January 1, 2017, Minister for Local Self-Government K.T. Jaleel told the Assembly on Thursday.
He was replying to the discussion on demands for grants of the Local Administration Department.
All rural areas in the State would be declared open defecation-free by November 1, 2016.
In the next two months, 1.75 lakh toilets would be built across the State, he said.
The Central government has informed the State that the Thiruvananthapuram city has been included in the Smart City Mission.
Six lakh houses
In the next five years, the government plans to construct close to six lakh houses under a comprehensive housing scheme.
Three committees have been set up to study the feasibility of introducing separate building rules for Corporation and panchayat areas.
It has been decided to entrust Kudumbasree with carrying out a census of all non-resident Keralites.
More aid from the World Bank would be made available to local bodies. Priority would be given to garbage treatment schemes, he said.
The Sanketham scheme for the speedy issue of building permits would be piloted in Kozhikode city, he added.
