A claim is being shared on social media platforms stating that bio-toilet systems in Indian railways were first implemented under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government after it came to power in 2014.
(An archive of a similar claim can be found here.)
What is the truth?: While the BJP-led NDA government has furthered the installation of bio-toilets after coming into power in 2014, it was first introduced by the Congress-led United Progress Alliance (UPA) government in 2010.
How did we find that out?: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Railways and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop a bio-toilet system suitable for railway coaches.
It was signed on 9 March 2010.
The collaboration resulted in the installation of anaerobic bio-toilets in the passenger coaches of the Indian Railways.
According to the Indian Railway Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE), "the first rake with bio-toilets developed with DRDO has been running in Bundelkhand Express since 18 January 2011."
A report published by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in 2017 said that "the Indian Railways set up a Core group to decide suitable environment-friendly toilets for use" in November 2009.
2012-13 budget: The government had announced in that year's budget that around "2,500 coaches to be equipped with bio-toilets" under the green initiatives.
More than 11,000 bio-toilets installed till 2014: According to a Lok Sabha answer given on 14 August 2014, around 11,777 bio-toilets were installed in 4,356 passenger coaches till 30 June 2014.
All the details regarding the passenger coaches can be found here.
We also found a tweet from Press Information Bureau (PIB) which gave a similar approximate figure.
Developments under the NDA government: According to a press release on PIB, "more than 2.5 lakh bio-digesters have been installed in Indian Railways coaches."
A tweet posted by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal posted in 2018 said that the Indian Railways had installed the highest-ever bio-toilets in train coaches during 2017-18.
He mentioned that this was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swacch Bharat Mission'.
It included figures from 2013-14 (UPA government) and 2014-18 (NDA government).
Conclusion: The claim that bio-toilets were first introduced after 2014 is false. It was introduced by the UPA government in 2010.
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