On the occasion of the 10th Civil Services Day, April 21, 2016, the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Chaudhary Birendra Singh, met with a group of district-level officials who have displayed exemplary results in sanitation. The meeting was a first in a series of such events where grass root Sanitation Champions from across the country will be invited by the Minister to listen to their experiences and encourage them.
Opening remarks at the meeting were given by the Minister of State, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Ram Kripal Yadav, who congratulated the champions and appreciated their service to the nation in addressing the cause of sanitation. The Minister of State stressed the significance of the district administration and the District Collector’s office for success in the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).
The champions who participated in the event were Shri Chandgi Rani Jhajariya (CEO Jhunjhunu), Shri Shekhar Singh (CEO-ZP Sindhudurg), Shri Sandeep Kadam (DC, Mandi), Shri Prabhakar Verma (DC/ East Sikkim), Smt Aishvarya Singh, (DC, West Sikkim); Shri Raj Kumar Yadav (DC, South Sikkim); Smt Arti Dogra (MD Jodhpur Division); Dr. Arushi Malik (DC/DM Ajmer) and Shri P. Narahari (DC/DM Indore). The excellent leadership provided by them in their districts leading them to be free or near free from open defecation was appreciated during the meeting. Community involvement, Mission-mode execution of SBM and empowerment of people, especially women and children, were some of the highlights of the respective campaigns in the districts.
After the presentations, the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, congratulated the champions on their achievement and innovations and urged them to share their experiences with other Collectors and CEOs across the country.
The Minister, Shri Chaudhary Birendra Singh, distributed certificates of good performance to the champions and highlighted the role of civil servants in providing quality leadership and ensuring sustainability of efforts in the creation of a Swachh Bharat.