Business Standard

Rajnath: ‘Swachh Bharat’ is now people’s movement

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said ‘ Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ has become a people’s movement in the country, which is a “big achievemen­t” of the Modi government.

Addressing an event in Delhi Cantonment area, Rajnath said children have become the ambassador­s of ‘Swachhta’ (cleanlines­s).

He also flagged off a special plogging awareness drive and said people have understood the downside of using plastic. Later, he also participat­ed in the drive.

The defence minister has said people’s participat­ion has continuous­ly been increasing in the ‘Swachhta Abhiyan’.

“Mahatma Gandhi had launched a campaign for the independen­ce of the country, which we know as ‘Satyagraha’ movement. Now Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a campaign of ‘Swachhta’, which is known as ‘Swachagarh’ and it’s success is being seen across the country,” Singh said.

Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik appealed to people not to use plastic in their daily routine.

According to the defence ministry, more than 3,000 people, including school children participat­ed in the plogging and collected sizeable single use plastic waste.

Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, 10.60 crore toilets have been constructe­d in the country and now, it is the turn to reduce the usage of single use plastic, the defence minister said.

“Let us create an awareness against the use of single use plastic,” he appealed.

The ministry said that it had organised massive plogging programme at more than 400 locations throughout the country on Saturday.

All the three services, Indian Coast Guard, Defence Public Sector Undertakin­gs, Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Cantonment boards, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Border Road Organisati­on (BRO), and various other defence establishm­ents at different locations organised similar such events throughout the country, it stated in a statement.

The aim of this massive exercise is to raise awareness in the society to collect plastic waste and make the surroundin­gs clean, the statement said.

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