Modi built over 100M toilets after sanitation coverage was under 40% in 2014?

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The Reel expresses political opinion based on true facts: official records confirm rural sanitation coverage was under 40% in 2014, leading to over 100 million toilets built. Official government data and published research show that rural sanitation coverage was around 39% in 2014 when the Swachh Bharat Mission was launched, under which over 100 million toilets were built (Nature, SBM Portal). Previous programs had raised rural coverage from 1% in 1981 to 31% in 2011 (NIH, PRS India). Whether this history reflects poor governance is a political opinion, but the underlying sanitation figures are accurate.

1 claim checked
2 sources
Checked 28 Oct 2026
Main source: Access to toilets and the safety, convenience and self-respect of women in rural India

The post we checked

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What we checked

Modi Ji had to build toilets after 70 years of Congress rule.“Before the ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission- Grameen (SBM-G) was launched in 2014, the state of sanitation in the country was abysmal. Only around 40% of households had access to a toilet.”Access to toilets and the safety, convenience and self-respect of women in rural India + 1 more

Connected

The same claim was checked in another Reel (@unknown, ): “Narendra Modi had to build toilets after 70 years of Congress rule because of poor governance by Congress.”, found not confirmed (see it)

What the post doesn't tell you

Prior government schemes like the Central Rural Sanitation Programme (1986) and Total Sanitation Campaign (1991) increased rural sanitation coverage from 1% in 1981 to 31% by 2011 and ~39% by 2014 (NIH, PRS India).

Short version

✅ TRUE 👉 Official government data and published research show that rural sanitation coverage was around 39% in 2014 when the Swachh Bharat Mission was launched, under which over 100 million toilets were built (Nature, SBM Portal). 📰 Sources: Ddws, NIH 🔎 Full check: send this post to @checkthis.chat