New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched ‘Clean India’ campaign joined by chief ministers, lawmakers, prominent personalities from various fields along with lakhs of countrymen in a drive that is expected to cost nearly Rs 2 lakh crore. Asserting that “Swachh Bharat” mission is “beyond politics” and inspired by “patriotism”, he invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a “clean and developed” India as he formally kicked off the five-year-long campaign, which will cover 4,041 statutory towns, on the 145th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.
It is for the first time government employees from the level of peons to Secretary were called to the office on ‘Gandhi Jayanti’, which is a national holiday, to be part of the ‘Clean India’ campaign. There are about 31 lakh central government employees across the country. In the states too, the event was marked by fervour and symbolism as the Chief Ministers and Governors started the drive by administering the pledge and joined students and common people in cleaning public buildings, parks, schools, railway platforms and roads.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that Rs 20 lakh per annum will be allocated to each village panchayat for the Clean India campaign. 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. 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 and even went on to praise Congress’ front outfit Seva Dal.
“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 organisations have made efforts in this direction. I greet all those, who have worked,” Modi said.
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 organisations which have worked in this direction, whether they are leaders from Sarvodaya or workers of Seva Dal. I launch this programme with their blessings.”
