Clean India - 'Swachh Bharat'

Clean India Mission beyond politics: PM Updated on : 02-10-2014 05:40 PM Wielding the broom, PM Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the country's biggest-ever cleanliness drive that is expected to cost nearly Rs 2 lakh crore, asserting that the "Swachh Bharat" mission is beyond politics and inspired by patriotism. Debunking criticism that his government has been taking credit for every achievement, the Prime Minister acknowledged the efforts of all previous governments to make India clean. "I am not talking politics...this is beyond politics. This is inspired my patriotism not politics. We do not have to do with an eye on politics...I say that with a clean heart... If we paint this again with a brush of politics, we will again do a disservice to mother India. "All the governments in this country have made one or the other effort to do this work. Several political, social and cultural organizations have made efforts in this direction. I greet all those, who have worked," Modi said in his 25-minute address at Rajpath on Thursday, where he formally kicked off the five-year-long campaign that will cover 4,041 statutory towns. Administering a pledge to people to make India clean, he said that this task is not the responsibility only of safai karamcharis or the government but of all the 125 crore Indians. He said that today's campaign should not be seen as a mere photo opportunity. In an event marked by fervour and symbolism, the Prime Minister earlier wielded a broom and swept pavement in Valmiki Basti, a colony of sanitation workers in New Delhi. The Prime Minister said that he is aware that the criticism of this programme will begin in just a few days but said he is prepared for this exuding confidence that the countrymen will not let him down. The urban component of the Mission is proposed to be implemented over 5 years starting from 2nd October 2014 in all 4,041 statutory towns. While the Urban Development Ministry will allocate Rs 62,000 crore for cleaning towns across the country, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will spend Rs 1 lakh 34 thousand crores for the programme. The Cabinet had last month decided to merge the 'Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan', a campaign for rural sanitation with Swachh Bharat Mission. The Prime Minister countered Congress criticism that his government behaves as if everything happened only after he came to power. "I do not make any claim that the government, which has been elected to power just now, has done everything." Congress has been attacking Modi accusing him of taking credit of initiatives undertaken by the UPA regimes and trying to give an impression that every good work was done only by him. Recalling that he had congratulated all governments even from the ramparts of Red Fort, Modi said “Even today from this stage, I greet and salute all the governments--central, state and municipal, social organizations which have worked in this direction, whether they are leaders from Sarvodaya or workers of Seva Dal. I launch this programme with their blessings." Maintaining that everybody deserves kudos, the Prime Minister asked not to get into making political barbs on the issue. "Everybody before us has worked for it. Under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership, the Congress had led it...Who was successful, who was not. Let us not get into it who has done it, who has not. We should work responsibly," he said. While ruing that 60 percent of populace in rural areas still defecate in open, the Prime Minister said the stigma of women lacking toilet facilities has to be removed. Modi said that he has requested the corporates to evolve plans under corporate social responsibility to build clean toilets specially for girl students in schools. India, he said, should learn from foreign countries, where people are disciplined and do not litter in public places. He said though it is a difficult task, it can be achieved and for that people will have to change their habits. The Prime Minister said that a campaign has been unleashed on the social media as well where a separate website for the mission has been launched and he is tweeting about the drive on his Twitter handle. Expressing confidence that the nation can achieve the target of becoming one of cleanest in the world, the Prime Minister dwelt upon the low cost success of the Mars Orbiter Mission. "If people of India can reach Mars with minimal expenditure, why can they not keep their streets and colonies clean," he said asking people to take up the responsibility to make the mission a success. He also wondered whether the task can only be left to the government to accomplish. "If we make it a public movement, we can make our country being counted as one among the cleanest nations," he said. The Prime Minister, who earlier in the day visited the 'samadhi' of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary, said while the countrymen launched a movement and achieved freedom realizing one of the slogans of Father of the nation, there is now a need to fulfill his other vision of 'clean India'. He also chose the occasion to compliment two persons Anant from Maharashtra and Bhagyashree from Gujarat, who designed the logo of the campaign (Gandhi's spectacles) and the slogan "Ek Kadam Swachhata Ki Or" respectively. "I am seeing that Gandhi is looking through these specs that whether we have made India clean or not, what we have done and what we have not done," he said. Quoting a WHO estimate, he said a person in India loses about Rs 6,500 per annum due to illness and poor health as he is unable to perform day-to-day duties. He said if the surroundings are kept clean, then people will remain healthy and such losses can be minimised. In a series of tweets later, Modi said, "My faith is in the people of India. I am confident we will devote our time & energies and make this Mission a success...Let us join Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan with a spirit of patriotism & fulfil Gandhi ji's dream of a Clean India." He said he did not view the initiative as "shram" (work) but a way to connect to the people of the country. The task has to be fulfilled not only by the Prime Minister or the government but by all the people of the country, Modi said. "The responsibility is mine as much as that of others," the Prime Minister said.    pranab on clean india Govt alone cannot make India clean: President Updated on : 02-10-2014 08:20 PM Calling upon all Indians to get involved in the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', President Pranab Mukherjee has said the government alone cannot do it without people's involvement. Flagging off the mission at Kirnahar in Birbhum district on Thursday, Mukherjee called upon the people to get themselves involved in the mission of making India clean saying that it is not possible for the government alone to accomplish the tasks of eradication of illiteracy, bringing cleanliness, keeping the environment green and maintaining ecological and environmental balance. In order to attain these goals, involvement of the larger and the responsible sections of the society along with the government is very much necessary, he said. Underscoring the importance of cleanliness, Mukherjee referred to a lesson he learnt when he was a student of Shib Chandra School where it was taught that in order to make one's own village look like a beautiful picture again, one has to keep his home and its surroundings clean. He also cited the instances of Vietnam and Cuba where people's involvement has greatly contributed to attaining social objectives like removal of illiteracy and bringing cleanliness. The President said if the non-governmental efforts are not combined with the government's endeavour, "we will not be able to make much progress." Mukherjee also referred to the UN's Social Summit held at Copenhagen, the Denmark capital in 1995 where 10 commitments were made. The third commitment was that every country must make the environment clean, he said. The President said that government has accorded more priority to cleanliness and accordingly the program is being launched today in 6 lakh villages and a number of cities in the country. Enlisting hundred volunteers by each one who has taken 'Swachhta' pledge on Thursday would go a long way in making the country clean, the President said. He said every Indian should devote two hours daily or at least 100 hours annually in cleanliness drive. The President, who took part in this mission at Kirnahar Shib Chandra High School from where he finished his school-level education, said it was from this institute that he first imbibed the importance of cleanliness. Messages on cleanliness were written on the walls of the school building which left an imprint on the minds of the students, he said. The President came to Kirnahar from Mirati where he is performing puja in his ancestral house. He is putting up at the house of his elder sister Annapurna Banerjee in Birbhum district. This is the third Durga puja for Mukherjee after being sworn in as the President of the country. During the occasion, he also paid floral tributes at the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Sastri on the occasion of their birth anniversaries.  an India campaign: Govt to fund to village panchayats Updated on : 02-10-2014 08:19 PM Over 2,47,000 village panchayats in the country will get Rs 20 lakh per annum for 'Clean India' campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Nitin Gadkari made this announcement after participating in the 'Swachh Bharat' cleanliness drive initiated by his ministry officials in the premises of Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi. "We have decided that we will provide Rs 20 lakh to each village panchayat and they should make the village clean," Gadkari said. "We will provide this money yearly and we are going to give money to few villages very soon," the Minister said. He sought the support of sarpanches, teachers and students in the country's over 2,47,000 gram panchayats for the successful implementation of programme that is to be completed on 2nd October 2019, coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. "We will complete this mission of cleanliness by taking support of sarpanchs, teachers and students," he said. "Each gram panchayat will spend Rs 20 lakh. The money will be in the discretion of gram panchayats and they will spend it on sanitation," Gadkari said. Officials said the money will be provided from a fund of Rs 1,96,000 crore announced by the government for Clean India Mission over a five-year period. While the Urban Development Ministry will allocate Rs 62,000 crore for cleaning towns across the country, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will spend Rs 1,34,000 crore for the programme. Wielding the broom, Modi on Thursday launched the country's biggest-ever cleanliness drive, asserting that the "Swachh Bharat" mission is beyond politics and inspired by patriotism. PM starts his own 'Swachh Bharat' challenge Updated on : 02-10-2014 02:32 PM In his bid to make 'Swachh Bharat' a people's movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated a chain by inviting nine eminent personalities including cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, industrialist Anil Ambani along with several actors to spread awareness on cleanliness. The Internet-savvy Prime Minister appeared inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which had gone viral in recent months, as he asked the celebrities to nominate nine more people to join the campaign and hoped that the chain would continue. Among those nominated by the PM are film actors Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Kamal Hassan, industrialist Anil Ambani, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, yoga guru Ramdev and the team of TV serial "Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma". PM Modi also administered a pleadge to thousands of people, including schools children and government employees at Rajpath for remaining committed to cleanliness to make the country clean. "I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this...I will neither litter nor let others litter," pledged all those present at a function to mark the launch of "Swachh Bharat" (Clean India) mission at India Gate by the Prime Minister. Actor Aamir Khan also joined the PM in taking the pledge along with Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Venkaiah Naidu. "I have invited nine people and asked them to come to public places and work towards a Clean India. I ask them to invite nine more people too...I am sure these nine people will do the work and each will invite nine more people to form a chain and clean the country," PM Modi said. The original ice bucket challenge where such a chain was created online was designed to raise funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease and motor neurone disease, which is a global viral phenomenon PM Modi also announced starting a campaign on cleanliness through social media using his website MyGov.in and other such websites, including a new website dedicated to the clean India campaign. The PM later joined the children in the Walkathon after flagging it off at Rajpath. The Walkathon is part of steps for creating awareness on cleanliness.       Clean India Mission beyond politics: PM         Govt alone cannot make India clean: President   Cities  should be cleaned certainly as per Modi , the Ganges also to be cleaned   like that politics also be cleaned :  Preetish Nandi, Sr.Journalist.    Really it is the very good movement started by our Prime Minister on 02-10-2014 the day of birth day of our  Rastrapitha Mahatma Gandhi ji. And Govt alone cannot make India clean told by our president   Everybody should participate happily and make it great success.  we are expending rs. 62,000 crore per year in our country for maintenance of clean, but still there is no clean.  every where dirty is accumulated not only in streets but also in offices, schools, hospitals,railway stations, bus stands,in railway bogies,buses  in drainage canals and in our house premises also. Due to this people subjected to ill health for which annually we  are loosing rs.6500 per person for hospitalization.    Regarding the cleanness of country Gandhi ji dreamed about clean India  before independence only and he cleaned  toilets  himself, told others to follow. After independence of India very few people given importance for cleanness. at that time  in schools  and  in villages used to perform "Shramadaan" by students and public by cleaning streets and constructing  the roads and other little works for the use of public. Now all forgotten the Shramadaan and to maintain cleanness. Rajiv Gandhi when he was PM initiated to clean the Ganges but  what happened no body knows.  In Andhra Pradesh  Chandra babu Naidu then CM introduced "Janma Bhoomi" karyakram on every first saturday of the month, in which clean program  and public grievances were main agenda.    Now most of the people are  making environment  pollution ,litter and dirty  as per their capacity without any fear or  restriction. Hospital wastage,industrial wastage , house hold  used wastage, garbage and slaughter wastage   is throwing here and there. Neither Govt. organisations nor public objecting, if any body dares to object to control the pollution, they are facing threatening from polluters.    Gents are passing urinals where ever they want making litter every where,because it is easy to them and making a small river to flow  on the roads of cities, the public who are passing by also not protesting and not stopping, the local bodies  are neglecting to prevent. This issue would have been taken earlier Prime Ministers or Presidents of India , then the present situation would not be raised .  And we would have healthy.  Any how now our PM Modiji taken this " Swachh India " - Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan  programme to make India clean. Congratulations to Prime Minister for taking prestigious and for  early decision of swachh bharat. This was the dream of Gandhiji.  Now every body in our country  top to bottom, and all organisations of govt, leaders, officers,employees,students and  companies  are  showing interest and competing  to participate in the programme and started working also  because it is introduced by  our PM, and he him self participating in this and cleaning streets. " Yathaa raaja tathaa praja "  so the top level rulers should  take any  initiation of work to develop our country, and they should stand first, then only public follows. The good news is that the  Govt. decided to sanction 20 lakh of rupees per each grampanchaayat for cleaning of village per year. In five years our country become clean and this may be continued for ever. The brand ambassador should be a common Indian for any programme because he is a simple man, principled man,he follows rules ,he is hard worker, a real patriot, he works for the nation as well as to his family, always he will be true and correct, he pays all taxes including  income-tax in time and correct amount.  So, all Indians are a brand ambassadors for " Clean India "  no need to appoint any specialized person. We should participate with spirit and make India clean by keeping our house surroundings and public places neat and by growing more trees . Each house owner  should grow at least one tree in his premises so as to keep  balanced environment.   Pollution Control Boards are acting as spectators , more powers to be given to them. There should be severe punishments to those making litter.   Those who still not taken pledge, now take pledge to keep our country clean and fulfill the dream of Gandhi ji and PM Modiji.                                                                                           -  www.seaflowdiary.blogspot.com