In a bid to do away with problems of open defecation, construction of toilets has become mandatory for beneficiaries of Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY). For the period 2011-2012, a total of 2,995 houses are being constructed in Tirupattur and surrounding seven panchayat unions under IAY scheme, according to officials of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. “To eradicate open defecation, construction of household toilets has been made compulsory. The subsidy for construction of toilets has been increased from Rs.2,200 to Rs.3,200 this year,” an official of the department said. Of the total 7,213 houses sanctioned for Vellore district for 2011-2012, 2,995 houses will be constructed in seven panchayat unions – 607 houses in Alangayam, 422 in Jolarpet, 396 in Kandhili, 227 in Natrampalli, 521 in Pernambut, 238 in Tirupattur and 584 in Madhanur, he added. Under the Infrastructure Gap Filling fund, construction of new panchayat office buildings has been taken up for 2011-2012. Each office would be constructed at a cost of Rs.8.15 lakh, officials of the department said. Ten new panchayat office buildings would be constructed in Tirupattur and its surrounding panchayats.