Behavioral change is needed to achieve dream of Swachch Bharat : PM Modi
30 September, New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that there behavioral change is needed to achieve the dream of Swachch Bharat.
Inaugurating the India Sanitation conference (INDOSAN) in New Delhi today, he said there is a need to ensure a dirt free India like Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha which was instrumental for the end of colonialism.
Modi said, nobody likes dirty surroundings but an atmosphere for cleanliness has to be created. He said, only budget allocations can not bring cleanliness and people’s participation is must. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that children are increasingly conscious about issues regarding cleanliness and it shows that Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan is touching people’s lives.
Modi said, he saw a very healthy competition when it came to cleanliness. The Prime Minister said, media has positively worked towards the success of the cleanliness campaign, even more than him.
Modi said, people who tend to keep their houses clean, also have the tendency to dump dirt on open clean grounds in the villages and the habit needs to be changed. He said, things like reuse and recycle has been a part of people’s habits for a long time and there is a need to make it more technology driven.
Speaking on the occasion, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, Swachh Bharat Mission has been the biggest movement of recent times. He said, sanitation literacy is need of the hour. Mr Naidu said, Swachh Bharat Aganda is now politically mainstreamed.
The Prime Minister also gave away cleanliness awards to Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra, Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Pune and Mysore Municipal Corporations, Gangtok city, National Cadet Corps, PGIMER Chandigarh, Surat railway station, heritage site Rani ki vav in Gujarat and Kendriya Vidyalaya FRI Dehradun.
Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said one lakh villages will become Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2nd of October this year. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Tomar said, 40 Districts will achieve the status of ODF Districts in this financial Year.