President Ram Nath Kovind will launch a nation wide campaign Swacchata Hi Sewa from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh today. He will administer nation-wide Swachhta Hi Seva pledge initiating parallel action in all the two lakh 50 thousand plus Gram Panchayats and cities in India. Eminent personalities, community organizations and private sector organizations will undertakes shramdaan activities. The fortnight long campaign will conclude on 2nd of October, Gandhi Jayanti.
The objective of the campaign is to mobilize people and reinforce the public movement for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a Clean India. A number of programmes are scheduled for today in which Union Ministers will also participate. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be the Chief guest in Swacchata Hi Sewa campaign at ITBP, Tigri camp in New Delhi. Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal will launch programme campaign at Connaught Place. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu is scheduled to visit a village in Karnataka on Sunday and offer shramdaan for toilet construction and general cleanliness.
Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has made elaborate plans along with the State Governments to involve people from various walks of life. Arrangements have also been made to ensure formal launch of this campaign in all States and Districts involving Governors, Chief Ministers, State Ministers, MPs, MLAs and District Collectors. A special cleanliness drive is planned in 15 identified tourist places on 1st of October.
The fortnight was preceded by a countrywide essay, short films and paintings competition, especially focused on schools, youth organisations, central police forces, besides general citizens. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last edition of Mann Ki Baat on AIR on 27th of last month had called upon the nation to undertake the campaign to intensify the focus on cleanliness and create an environment of cleanliness across the country in the spirit of a mass movement.