Everything You Need to Know: Online Applications for Individual Household Latrines (IHHL), Bihar

The country has been dealing with the lack of individual toilets for a considerable part of the population in rural India, which has resulted in undue inconvenience, lack of hygiene and discomfort. However, the need for individual household latrine (IHHL) for such people has been recognized and addressed by the central government and they have planned to build over twelve million toilets all over. This project has been successfully launched and of all the states, Bihar has seen slower progress. To help the residents of Bihar, the centre has provided an easy individual household latrine online application process on their official website. Under the government’s Swachh Bharat Mission, this process aims to completely aid in eradicating open defecation and offer a cleaner atmosphere to live in.

Swachh Bharat Mission

To focus on sanitation, the Prime Minister of India has launched the Swachh Bharat Mission. This mission was launched on 2nd October 2014 to commemorate the birthdate of Mahatma Gandhi. Under Swachh Bharat Mission, all gram panchayats, villages, states, districts and union territories in India have declared themselves open-defecation free (ODF) by 2nd October 2019 with the successful achievement of constructing more than 100 million latrines all over rural India. Now, the mission has progressed to the next phase which is called SBMG (Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen) which means ODF plus. This has been done to further ensure that defecating and urinating in the open is curbed and both solid and liquid waste management facilities are readily accessible for all. In this phase 2, ODF activities will be more strictly reinforced with the placement of due interventions for safe management. The core pillars of this movement are to ensure the main following points;

1. Mass Reach – To ensure that the message of safe sanitation and hygiene reaches millions of people across the country.
2. Best On-Ground Execution – To collaborate with the right teams of experts to make sure that all construction work is done with the best available skill.
3. Implement a Habit Change – To educate people on the importance of sanitisation and privacy in regards to defecation and urinary bodily processes.
4. Safety for Women – Women’s safety is primary and open defecation has caused some alarm over the years for them. With IHHL, women can now use the toilet within the safe confines of their own homes, eradicating arduous measures of venturing further out to open fields with no safeguarding when in an intimate position.

Application Process for Individual Household Latrine in Bihar

People seeking to construct individual toilets in their homes can contact local authorities within the area and get assistance for building the same. Alternatively, they can embark upon a simple online process through the official portal www.swachhbharaturban.gov.in/ihhl/. Mentioned below are the steps one would need to follow to be able to successfully apply for Individual Household Latrines online. This can be used for not only constructing new toilets but also for conversion or additions to existing toilets.

Step No. 1: Process of Registration

First and foremost, you are required to log on to the official website and register yourself. Once the login ID is created, it can be reused by multiple applicants to apply for more than one application if needed. This registration process will require you to provide your personal details such as;

• Full name – Enter your full name as on passport or other valid ID’s.
• Cell phone number – Enter your 10 digits mobile number
• Email ID – Enter a valid email ID for communication such as OTP’s and additional validation documents
• Address – Enter the current address of residence.
• Identity Documents – Aadhar card, PAN Card, utility bills, passport, etc.
• State of residence – Mention the state in which you reside.
• ID number – Enter the ID number allotted to you.

Once the required information has been keyed in, you will then be given a login ID which can be used to log in whenever needed with an OTP (one time password) which will be sent on the given cell phone number and email ID. Once this is successfully done, you can then move ahead to the next step.

Step No. 2: Filling out the Application Form

Once the registration is complete, you can then go on to the next step which is filling out the application form available on the website. This will be a detailed application and will ask for more personal details such as;

• Aadhar Card – Scan and upload Aadhar Card.
• Ward number – Enter ward number as allotted to you.
• Bank details – Details such as mentioned below will have to be submitted;
• Name of Bank – There will be a drop-down list from which you will need to select the name of the bank in which you hold an account.
• City – The city will also be in a drop-down list of banks which you will need to select.
• Branch Name – The branch name will be in the drop-down list on the website from which you will need to select the branch in which you hold your main account.
• IFSC Code – The IFSC code that every bank has shall need to be selected. It will be shown in a textbox.
• Account Number – You will need to add your account number. This is a mandatory step.
• Confirmation of Account Number – You will need to re-confirm the account number to ensure there is no mistake. This step is compulsory.
• Passbook copies – First and last page copies of the bank’s passbook shall need to be uploaded.
• Photograph – Upload a photograph as per required dimensions and only in a JPG format. The size should be no more than 50GB.
• State of current toilets – There will be a display list with options from which you can choose.
• References from 2 people – You will need reference letters from two people to state the authenticity of your application.
• Complete address – Fill in the complete address in which you wish to construct the toilet.
• Mother’s name – Add mother’s maiden name
• Father’s name – Add father’s name
• Spouse’s name – Add partner’s name (married only)
• Profession – Whatever profession you are in, will need to be selected from the list or mentioned in the ‘other’ tab if not on the list.

Once this is filled, you will also need to sign an undertaking, which will be on the form. This will ensure that you have complete knowledge of the submission procedure and that all information provided by you is true to your knowledge. Any false information can result in the immediate cancellation of any subsidy along with the construction process. In certain cases, misrepresentation of data or/and providing false information can also be penalised by law for which you could be incurred fines.

Step No. 3: Applying for Individual Household Latrine

Once the application form has been duly filled, you can go on and click on the ‘apply’ tab and your application will be successfully submitted. Also, if you do not have an Aadhar card, you can apply for one via the Aadhar enrolment slip which is also available on the same portal.

Step No. 4: Acknowledgement Slip for Individual Household Latrine

Once the application is submitted successfully, an acknowledgement slip called the IHHL acknowledgement slip will be generated along with the application ID as well as bank details. You will also receive a text stating the success of the application on the account holder’s email ID. You can also print this slip to keep it for hard copy documentation purposes.

Required Documents for Individual Household Latrine

As is the case of any government scheme, the main goal is to create convenience for all the country’s residents, especially in rural areas where it is needed the most. The official way to do this is by contacting the right authorities and officially applying online. This would require the submission of official documents so that the process can be easy and swift. The documents needed for IHHL Bihar include;

• A scanned copy of the applicant’s photograph as per dimensions specified on the website
• Aadhar card details
• In case of no Aadhar card, Aadhar enrolment slip
• Bank account details
• Scanned copies of the first and last page of the bank’s passbook
• Statement of account
• Photograph

Applicants have the option to choose either Hindi or English as their preferred language.

The Application Format for IHHL

The IHHL application format is in PDF and can be accessed here: https://assets-news.housing.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/04180901/IHHL-Application.pdf

Check the Status of the IHHL Application

Applicants who wish to check the status of their applications can log on to the portal with their login ID’s and click on the ‘status’ tab. Once this is done, you will be able to check the current status of your application. Alternatively, you can also search for the submitted application online by entering the application ID along with the applicant’s name by clicking on the search tab. This is an easy process and can be done at any time.

How to Print the IHHL Application

Nowadays, printing is a redundant method and is not mandatory. However, those who do wish to print out their applications can log on to the official website of IHHL, search for their applications and then print them. You can follow the below-mentioned steps;

1. Log on to the official portal with your ID and password
2. Click the ‘status’ tab of the application
3. Open the application
4. Print in whichever format as per your comfort

IHHL Mobile Application

The ministry of housing and urban affairs has launched a mobile application that can be downloaded for free from the Google play store. Here, you can check the status of your application, print applications as well as apply for new applications. It is in the government’s best interest to offer these services as conveniently as possible for applicants.

Conclusion

The idea behind this mission is to make sure that every corner of India is covered and individual household latrines are available for everyone. In a world where India is developing in leaps and bounds, this aspect was an important disadvantage that has now seen staggering progress. While Bihar has been slower in gaining momentum, the information on this article has especially been compiled for those who might find it easier to apply for the same. Together, let’s make India clean, green and safe.

FAQs

Also read :

• Vastu for Toilets & Bathrooms: Important Tips that you can abide by
• RERA Bihar: All the facts you need to know about the Portal
• Bhulekh Bihar: Online Land Records System of Bihar
• Bihar State Housing Board
• Top 10 Vastu Tips while buying a new home