September 24, 2017: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said, cleanliness has become a mass movement and old or the young, men or women, city or village everyone has become a part of this campaign.
In his 36th edition of Mann Ki Baat programme on All India Radio, Mr Modi said, a kind of pressure has been created in public places and people resist if someone tries to spoil or make a public place dirty. He said, the cleanliness campaign is advancing towards Sankalp Se Siddhi.
The Prime Minister said, in just four days of Swacchata Hi Seva campaign, more than 75 lakh people joined the drive with over 40,000 initiatives. Mr Modi also stressed on starting an idea based movement to inculcate cleanliness as a habit.
Referring to competitions organized during the campaign, the Prime Minister said, more than 2 crore 50 lakh children took part in essay competition on cleanliness and thousands of students made paintings based on their own imagination.
Mr Modi also expressed gratitude to media for taking the campaign in a religious manner and making a big contribution in creating a positive environment about cleanliness.
Speaking on Bilal Dar, a young man from Srinagar, who clears more than 12,000 kilos of garbage annually, Mr Modi expressed happiness that by setting a new trend Srinagar municipal corporation has made him Brand Ambassador. Dar has been engaged in cleanliness for the last 5 to 6 years since the age of 12.
Saying that October is a month to remember, the Prime Minister recalled the great men of India – Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel who gave the country a new direction and led the nation. Mr Modi also remembered Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jaiprakash Narayan, Nanaji Deshmukh and Deen Dayal Upadhayay.
He said, Mahatma Gandhi, Jaiprakash Narayan, Deendayal Upadhayay were great personalities who remained far away from corridors of power but lived every moment for the people.
The Prime Minister said, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on 31st October, Run for Unity will be held. He said, it should be organized in every city and town on a very large scale to promote the mantra of unity.
Mr Modi said, unity in diversity is India’s specialty and citizens especially the youth should experience it for the development of their personality. He said, people generally don’t prefer moving around the country and travel around the world.
He said, Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak, Swami Vivekanand and former President APJ Abdul Kalam toured India and got inspired to do and die for the country.
The Prime Minister said, there will be a value addition in tourism only if people travel not only as visitors but also like a student making efforts to assimilate, understand and adapt. He gave his own example of visiting more than 500 districts of the country and said his experience is now coming very handy and proving very useful in shouldering the responsibility as Prime Minister.
Mr Modi urged people not to go out just for a change but to internalize diversities of millions of denizens of India to enrich their lives. He asked people to share their experiences, photographs on MyGov and Narendra Modi App using hashtag #Incredible India. The Prime Minister also urged people to enlist seven best tourist destinations of their states and if possible they must visit the places.
Prime Minister Modi also congratulated Lieutenant Swati Mahadik and Nidhi Dubey, wife of Late Col Santosh Mahadik and Late Naik Mukesh Dubey who joined the Indian Army recently.
He said, Col Mahadik and Naik Dubey sacrificed their lives for the nation and their wives showing grit, determination and patriotism joined the Army despite difficulties.
Speaking on Mann Ki Baat programme, which is completing three years, Mr Modi said, it gave him a unique opportunity to get connected with various feelings and positive energy of the country. He said, people send their ideas, experiences and feelings to him for Mann Ki Baat which reflects their mind, expressions and expectations.
The Prime Minister said, he has tried to focus on people in the Mann ki Baat programme in the last three years keeping it away from political hues. He said, social scientists, universities, research scholars, media experts will undertake its analysis and highlight its every aspect, positive as well as negative.
Mr Modi also said, people’s interest have increased in Khadi after it was discussed in one of the previous episodes of Mann Ki Baat. He said, sale of khadi has increased and poor man’s household has directly got connected to employment.
The Prime Minister mentioned about Sewapuri Khadi Ashram in Varanasi which was reopened creating new employment opportunities after 26 years. He said, the reference of Selfie With Daughter in Mann ki Baat became a big campaign not only in India but in the whole world.
Greeting citizens on the pious occasion of Navratri, Mr Modi conveyed his best wishes and prayed to Ma Shakti to let the country attain newer heights so that the desires and expectations of all the countrymen get fulfilled and the nation is blessed with the strength to face any challenge. (AIR News)
