Why spend a penny when you can earn one instead?
Authorities in the Indian city of Ahmedabad have decided to pay people to use public toilets in a bid to combat public urination and defecation, AFP reports.
Authorities say residents will be given a rupee (less than a fifth of a U.S. cent) every time they use public facilities in a bid to cut back.
“The idea behind this project is to prevent open defecation in parts of the city where people, despite having public toilets, defecate in the open,” an official told the news agency.
Authorities also plan to identify residents who publicly urinate and defecate on a regular basis and encourage them to use the public toilets by offering the incentive.
According to UNICEF, more than half of India’s population defecates in the open, creating a serious public health issue.