PM, CMs, Ministers sign Declaration of Commitment to make Swachh Bharat by 2019

PM, CMs, Ministers sign Declaration of Commitment to make Swachh Bharat by 2019

Swachh Bharat movement the largest ever mass mobilization in the country, says Shri Venkaiah Naidu

After a slow start, Swachh Bharat Mission picked up momentum and on course-Minister

405 cities, 20000 urban wards become Open Defecation Free

11 institutions felicitated with Best Swachh Awards

            Top leadership of the country including the Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers and Ministers from States and Union Territories today signed a Declaration of Commitment to make India Open Defecation Free and Clean by 2019.

            Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Maharashtra and Goa besides Ministers from States and UTs signed the Declaration during the INDOSAN (India Sanitation Conference) here today. Other elected representatives from rural and urban local bodies, District Collectors, Municipal Commissioners also signed a similar Declaration.

            Addressing the inaugural session of INDOSAN, Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said ‘’Largest ever mass mobilization is taken place under Swachh Bharat Mission. With people leading the India Sanitation Alliance, cleanliness in rural and urban areas has been mainstreamed with political leadership at various levels for the first time. 21^st century India has to get free from illiteracy and LITTERATI people who throw litter in the open”.

            Shri Naidu said “Mood Of Developing India”(MODI) over the last two years has been for a Clean India and after a  slow start, Swachh Bharat Mission has gained momentum over the last one year with good progress in implementation in both rural and urban areas.

            The Minister informed that as on date 405 cities and towns have come to be Open Defecation Free and 739 would become ODF by March next year. 24 lakh individual household toilets have so far been built in urban areas and another 19 lakhs under construction. 20,000 of the 82,000 urban wards have become ODF. 90,000 community and public toilet seats have been built and another 1.29 lakh seats under construction.

            11 institutions and organisations have been felicitated by Prime Minister for significant work to ensure cleanliness. These were: Chandigarh and Mysurr (Clean Cities in million plus population category), Gangtok (Cleanest Tourism Destination), Pune Municipal Corporation and SWaCH Cooperative Society(Best in Solid Waste Management), Rani Ki Vav, Patan, Gujarat (Cleanest Cultural Heritage Site), Surat Railway Station(Cleanest Station), Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research & Education, Chandigarh (Cleanest Hospital), Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh (ODF and Cleanest district in hilly areas), Sindhugurg district, Maharashtra (ODF and Cleanest district in plain areas) and National Cadet Corps, NCC(Exemplary nation-wide cleanliness activities).