<p>The Indian government took a pledge for a cleaner country and launched a massive mission of 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on October 2, 2014, to call on people to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's vision of a clean nation. The aim of the mission is to eliminate open defecation and also improve solid waste management. It also aims at increasing awareness of menstrual health management. It is a restructured version of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.</p>

<p>At the time of the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that a clean India will the best tribute the nation can pay to Bapu when it will celebrate his 150th birth anniversary in 2019 as cleanliness was very close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart... and it did happen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government says that Mahatma Gandhi "devoted his life so that India attains 'Swarajya'" and "now the time has come to devote ourselves towards 'Swachchhata' (cleanliness) of our motherland". By October 2, 2019, most of the villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States and Union Territories declared themselves 'open-defecation free' as the government constructed over 100 million toilets in rural India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' emerged as one of the most popular missions in the history of independent India, moving millions of people, who&nbsp;participated&nbsp;in the initiative and came forward to help sanitation workers to clean their vicinity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the celebration of Independence Day every year, we should keep up the good work and remember 'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness'.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Phase II of SBMG</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The 'Swachh Bharat Mission' is moving towards the next Phase II of SBMG i.e ODF-Plus. ODF stands for Open Defacation-Free.</p>

<p>ODF Plus activities under Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) will reinforce ODF behaviours and focus on providing interventions for the safe management of solid and liquid waste in villages.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Focus on e-waste as well&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Modern and advanced electronic appliances and gadgets display a very promising picture of India. If not correctly treated, the numerous toxic components found in e-waste could have an adverse effect on both the environment and human health. Therefore, managing e-waste is a difficult task that needs everyone in India to actively participate.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Swachh Pledge</strong><br />
<em>Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of an India which was not only free but also clean and developed.<br />
Mahatma Gandhi secured freedom for Mother India.<br />
Now it is our duty to serve Mother India by keeping the country neat and clean.<br />
I take this pledge that I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this.<br />
I will devote 100 hours per year, that is two hours per week, to voluntarily work for cleanliness.<br />
I will neither litter not let others litter.<br />
I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with myself, my family, my locality, my village and my work place.<br />
I believe that the countries of the world that appear clean are so because their citizens don't indulge in littering nor do they allow it to happen.<br />
With this firm belief, I will propagate the message of Swachh Bharat Mission in villages and towns.<br />
I will encourage 100 other persons to take this pledge which I am taking today.<br />
I will endeavour to make them devote their 100 hours for cleanliness.<br />
I am confident that every step I take towards cleanliness will help in making my country clean.&nbsp;</em></p>

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The Indian government took a pledge for a cleaner country and launched a massive mission of 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on October 2, 2014, to call on people to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's vision of a clean nation.

The Indian government took a pledge for a cleaner country and launched a massive mission of 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on October 2, 2014, to call on people to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's vision of a clean nation. The aim of the mission is to eliminate open defecation and also improve solid waste management. It also aims at increasing awareness of menstrual health management. It is a restructured version of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan. At the time of the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that a clean India will the best tribute the nation can pay to Bapu when it will celebrate his 150th birth anniversary in 2019 as cleanliness was very close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart... and it did happen. The government says that Mahatma Gandhi "devoted his life so that India attains 'Swarajya'" and "now the time has come to devote ourselves towards 'Swachchhata' (cleanliness) of our motherland". By October 2, 2019, most of the villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States and Union Territories declared themselves 'open-defecation free' as the government constructed over 100 million toilets in rural India. 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' emerged as one of the most popular missions in the history of independent India, moving millions of people, who participated in the initiative and came forward to help sanitation workers to clean their vicinity. With the celebration of Independence Day every year, we should keep up the good work and remember 'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness'. Phase II of SBMG The 'Swachh Bharat Mission' is moving towards the next Phase II of SBMG i.e ODF-Plus. ODF stands for Open Defacation-Free. ODF Plus activities under Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) will reinforce ODF behaviours and focus on providing interventions for the safe management of solid and liquid waste in villages. Focus on e-waste as well Modern and advanced electronic appliances and gadgets display a very promising picture of India. If not correctly treated, the numerous toxic components found in e-waste could have an adverse effect on both the environment and human health. Therefore, managing e-waste is a difficult task that needs everyone in India to actively participate. Swachh Pledge Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of an India which was not only free but also clean and developed. Mahatma Gandhi secured freedom for Mother India. Now it is our duty to serve Mother India by keeping the country neat and clean. I take this pledge that I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this. I will devote 100 hours per year, that is two hours per week, to voluntarily work for cleanliness. I will neither litter not let others litter. I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with myself, my family, my locality, my village and my work place. I believe that the countries of the world that appear clean are so because their citizens don't indulge in littering nor do they allow it to happen. With this firm belief, I will propagate the message of Swachh Bharat Mission in villages and towns. I will encourage 100 other persons to take this pledge which I am taking today. I will endeavour to make them devote their 100 hours for cleanliness. I am confident that every step I take towards cleanliness will help in making my country clean. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India Independence: How 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' became a massive mission for a clean future

PM Modi's 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' prior to the informal summit with Chinese President on the seashore in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. PM Modi picked up single-use plastic from the seashore and tried to clean it. He gave a positive message to the nation through these visuals. Watch this video to know more. #SwachhBharatAbhiyan

'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' by PM Modi on the seashore of Mamallapuram's Tamil Nadu

<p>With people becoming more concerned about climate change, everyone tries to do something to mitigate the burden on the existing resources and actor Swara Bhasker is also trying to do her bit but in an innovative way.<br />
<br />
The 'Veere Di Wedding' actor has up-cycled her late maternal grandmother`s sarees into a pantsuit.<br />
<br />
The actor shared the picture of the pantsuit designed beautifully from old sarees by Divya Saini. The 'Raanjhanaa' actor looked breathtaking in the same print blazer and pant paired with grey plunging top.<br />
<br />
The actor highlighted that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to industrial pollution.<br />
<br />
"As people who work in show biz and the glamour industry, I think it's very important to be aware that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to industrial pollution in this world," she wrote alongside the pictures.<br />
<br />
"With the current climate crisis, I think all of us can do our small bit, to conserve our resources in the personal choices we make," she continued.<br />
<br />
The actor suggested that recycling and upcycling old clothes are some ways we can do our bit to conserve resources.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2-FtRSpx0n/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">As people who work in show biz and the glamour industry, I think its very important to be aware that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to industrial pollution in this world. With the current climate crisis, I think all of us can do our small bit, to conserve our resources in the personal choices we make. Recycling and up cycling old clothes is one such means.. I am trying to do the same by up-cyclying one of my beloved late nani’s old saris into a pant suit. It’s special because it holds sentimental value and its a small attempt towards conservation on our planet and encouraging recycling and upcycling. Styled by: @dibzoo Shoes: @papadontpreachbyshubhika Jewellery: @amrapalijewels Make up: @saracapela Hair: @rupali.dhumal Pics: @shivamguptaphotography Moral support: @sanjeevinisingh #bestteamever ❤️ #doourbitfortheenviroment #doourbit #fashioncanbebigger</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reallyswara/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Swara Bhasker</a> (@reallyswara) on <time datetime="2019-09-28T21:34:19+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 28, 2019 at 2:34pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>"Recycling and upcycling old clothes is one such means. I am trying to do the same by up-cycling one of my beloved late nani`s old saris into a pantsuit.<br />
<br />
It's special because it holds sentimental value and its a small attempt towards conservation on our planet and encouraging recycling and upcycling," she wrote.<br />
<br />
On the work front, the 31-year old is busy filming for Faraz Arif Ansari's 'Sheer Khurma' in which she will be seen sharing screen space with Shabana Azmi and Divya Dutta.<br />
<br />
Faraz in the film is set to narrate the story of the LGBTQ+ community. Surekha Sikri will also be seen playing a pivotal role in the film.</p>

<p><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p>


With people becoming more concerned about climate change, everyone tries to do something to mitigate the burden on the existing resources and actor Swara Bhasker is also trying to do her bit but in an innovative way.

With people becoming more concerned about climate change, everyone tries to do something to mitigate the burden on the existing resources and actor Swara Bhasker is also trying to do her bit but in an innovative way. The 'Veere Di Wedding' actor has up-cycled her late maternal grandmother`s sarees into a pantsuit. The actor shared the picture of the pantsuit designed beautifully from old sarees by Divya Saini. The 'Raanjhanaa' actor looked breathtaking in the same print blazer and pant paired with grey plunging top. The actor highlighted that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to industrial pollution. "As people who work in show biz and the glamour industry, I think it's very important to be aware that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to industrial pollution in this world," she wrote alongside the pictures. "With the current climate crisis, I think all of us can do our small bit, to conserve our resources in the personal choices we make," she continued. The actor suggested that recycling and upcycling old clothes are some ways we can do our bit to conserve resources. View this post on Instagram As people who work in show biz and the glamour industry, I think its very important to be aware that the fashion industry is one of the major contributors to industrial pollution in this world. With the current climate crisis, I think all of us can do our small bit, to conserve our resources in the personal choices we make. Recycling and up cycling old clothes is one such means.. I am trying to do the same by up-cyclying one of my beloved late nani’s old saris into a pant suit. It’s special because it holds sentimental value and its a small attempt towards conservation on our planet and encouraging recycling and upcycling. Styled by: @dibzoo Shoes: @papadontpreachbyshubhika Jewellery: @amrapalijewels Make up: @saracapela Hair: @rupali.dhumal Pics: @shivamguptaphotography Moral support: @sanjeevinisingh #bestteamever ❤️ #doourbitfortheenviroment #doourbit #fashioncanbebigger A post shared by Swara Bhasker (@reallyswara) on Sep 28, 2019 at 2:34pm PDT × "Recycling and upcycling old clothes is one such means. I am trying to do the same by up-cycling one of my beloved late nani`s old saris into a pantsuit. It's special because it holds sentimental value and its a small attempt towards conservation on our planet and encouraging recycling and upcycling," she wrote. On the work front, the 31-year old is busy filming for Faraz Arif Ansari's 'Sheer Khurma' in which she will be seen sharing screen space with Shabana Azmi and Divya Dutta. Faraz in the film is set to narrate the story of the LGBTQ+ community. Surekha Sikri will also be seen playing a pivotal role in the film.

This is how Swara Bhasker is doing her bit to conserve resources

<p>In India, one of the most unedifying sights of an early morning rail ride is mass scale defecation along the tracks, in the villages as the train chugs along and in the open fields, where crops provide a cover for concluding one of nature’s most elementary acts.</p>

<p>Of all the flagship programmes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first term, one that seems to have carried the day is the Swachh Bharat mission. Its impact on the hundreds of millions of Indians, especially women, deprived of basic sanitation facilities, can scarcely be underestimated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An important part of the Modi persona has been the BJP-led NDA government’s flagship programmes like the Jan Dhan Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and Ayushman Bharat, among others. But in terms of impact on the common voter, the Swachh Bharat mission should be considered the high water mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Swachh Bharat or cleanliness programme, a nationwide campaign that aims to clean up the streets, roads and infrastructure of India’s cities, towns, and rural areas, can be safely assumed to have impacted BJP’s electoral prospects, ahead of any other public welfare programme launched by the Modi government. Sure, one factor is never enough to tilt the balance in a party’s favour, yet certain facts are worthy of consideration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On October 2, 2014, Modi launched the nation-wide cleanliness campaign on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The concept of Swachh Bharat is to provide sanitation facilities to every family, including toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, village cleanliness and safe and adequate drinking water supply. Modi’s pledges to keep the environment clean were met with sniggers from a class of people, who had never faced sanitation issues in their lives. But they, as luck would have it, were not the archetypal Indian voter. &nbsp;</p>

<p>To the professional historian, the prospects of Modi, a former RSS <em>pracharak</em>, invoking Gandhi would be anathema, but the prime minister went ahead nonetheless. In Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s memorable words, “Sanitation is more important than independence”. He made cleanliness and sanitation an integral part of his agitational politics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his newspaper Navajivan (November 2, 1919), Gandhi famously wrote: “In some countries spitting on the road is a criminal offence. Those who spit after chewing betel leaves and tobacco have no consideration for the feelings of others. Spittle, mucus from the nose, etc, should also be covered with earth.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the official launch of the Swachh Bharat campaign, Modi — who has a way with words — called it <em>‘Satyagraha se Swachhagrah’</em> in reference to Gandhi’s Champaran agitation in favour of indigo farmers. &nbsp;The mission had two thrusts: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (rural), which operates under the ministry of drinking water and sanitation and <em>Swachh Bharat Abhiyan </em>(urban), which works under the aegis of the ministry of housing and urban affairs. According to the latest data, the government has constructed 86 million toilets since 2014 under the mission, reducing the number of open defecations from 550 million to fewer than 150 million in 2018. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2017, the government cited a UNICEF Survey carried out in 10,000 households across the country to claim that the Swachh Bharat Mission was meeting its targets, three years after its launch. The survey, conducted across 12 states, stated that 85 per cent members of the households studied were using toilets.</p>

<p>While government data should rightly be regarded with scepticism, in political terms, an idea had been thrown open in the public domain, coming from the highest office in the country. Somewhere the worm had turned, despite the Congress branding it as a mediocre idea, when it was first announced. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, from the benefit of hindsight, one can say that the Prime Minister knew all along what he was doing. As early as March last year, obviously with an eye on the on 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi urged chief ministers of BJP-ruled states to expedite implementation of welfare schemes and to take his government’s flagship programmes to the masses.</p>

<p>At this crucial meeting, work done by different states were discussed and deliberations were held on coordination between the Centre and the states for effective implementation of the government’s flagship schemes, in particular, the health insurance scheme. Even though the health scheme, promoted as NaMo Care, has not made as many waves as the party expected, it’s implementation in Modi’s second term, could be a potential winner. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The importance of social welfare programmes seem to have been driven home, even if it was not so evident during the course of political discourse in a virulent campaign. Chief ministers present at this meeting were asked to submit a report on the implementation of the welfare schemes. The support that Modi has got from the country’s 48 per cent women voters makes a good study for researchers. His ambitious social welfare scheme —Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana —with the aim of providing 5 crore LPG connections to women below the poverty line across the country, took a heavy toll on the opposition campaign. It seemed a strategic decision to reach out to women in a scheme aimed at replacing unclean cooking fuels, used mostly in rural India with the clean and more efficient LPG gas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Election results, particularly in UP where the Prime Minister was able to develop a connection with women at large, seem to reflect in the UP Lok Sabha results.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-flagship-programme-wonders-2753695">original article</a>)</em></p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


In India, one of the most unedifying sights of an early morning rail ride is mass scale defecation along the tracks, in the villages as the train chugs along and in the open fields, where crops provide a cover for concluding one of nature’s most elementary acts.

In India, one of the most unedifying sights of an early morning rail ride is mass scale defecation along the tracks, in the villages as the train chugs along and in the open fields, where crops provide a cover for concluding one of nature’s most elementary acts. Of all the flagship programmes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first term, one that seems to have carried the day is the Swachh Bharat mission. Its impact on the hundreds of millions of Indians, especially women, deprived of basic sanitation facilities, can scarcely be underestimated. An important part of the Modi persona has been the BJP-led NDA government’s flagship programmes like the Jan Dhan Yojna, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana and Ayushman Bharat, among others. But in terms of impact on the common voter, the Swachh Bharat mission should be considered the high water mark. The Swachh Bharat or cleanliness programme, a nationwide campaign that aims to clean up the streets, roads and infrastructure of India’s cities, towns, and rural areas, can be safely assumed to have impacted BJP’s electoral prospects, ahead of any other public welfare programme launched by the Modi government. Sure, one factor is never enough to tilt the balance in a party’s favour, yet certain facts are worthy of consideration. On October 2, 2014, Modi launched the nation-wide cleanliness campaign on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The concept of Swachh Bharat is to provide sanitation facilities to every family, including toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, village cleanliness and safe and adequate drinking water supply. Modi’s pledges to keep the environment clean were met with sniggers from a class of people, who had never faced sanitation issues in their lives. But they, as luck would have it, were not the archetypal Indian voter. To the professional historian, the prospects of Modi, a former RSS pracharak, invoking Gandhi would be anathema, but the prime minister went ahead nonetheless. In Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s memorable words, “Sanitation is more important than independence”. He made cleanliness and sanitation an integral part of his agitational politics. In his newspaper Navajivan (November 2, 1919), Gandhi famously wrote: “In some countries spitting on the road is a criminal offence. Those who spit after chewing betel leaves and tobacco have no consideration for the feelings of others. Spittle, mucus from the nose, etc, should also be covered with earth.” At the official launch of the Swachh Bharat campaign, Modi — who has a way with words — called it ‘Satyagraha se Swachhagrah’ in reference to Gandhi’s Champaran agitation in favour of indigo farmers. The mission had two thrusts: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (rural), which operates under the ministry of drinking water and sanitation and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (urban), which works under the aegis of the ministry of housing and urban affairs. According to the latest data, the government has constructed 86 million toilets since 2014 under the mission, reducing the number of open defecations from 550 million to fewer than 150 million in 2018. In 2017, the government cited a UNICEF Survey carried out in 10,000 households across the country to claim that the Swachh Bharat Mission was meeting its targets, three years after its launch. The survey, conducted across 12 states, stated that 85 per cent members of the households studied were using toilets. While government data should rightly be regarded with scepticism, in political terms, an idea had been thrown open in the public domain, coming from the highest office in the country. Somewhere the worm had turned, despite the Congress branding it as a mediocre idea, when it was first announced. Now, from the benefit of hindsight, one can say that the Prime Minister knew all along what he was doing. As early as March last year, obviously with an eye on the on 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Modi urged chief ministers of BJP-ruled states to expedite implementation of welfare schemes and to take his government’s flagship programmes to the masses. At this crucial meeting, work done by different states were discussed and deliberations were held on coordination between the Centre and the states for effective implementation of the government’s flagship schemes, in particular, the health insurance scheme. Even though the health scheme, promoted as NaMo Care, has not made as many waves as the party expected, it’s implementation in Modi’s second term, could be a potential winner. The importance of social welfare programmes seem to have been driven home, even if it was not so evident during the course of political discourse in a virulent campaign. Chief ministers present at this meeting were asked to submit a report on the implementation of the welfare schemes. The support that Modi has got from the country’s 48 per cent women voters makes a good study for researchers. His ambitious social welfare scheme —Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana —with the aim of providing 5 crore LPG connections to women below the poverty line across the country, took a heavy toll on the opposition campaign. It seemed a strategic decision to reach out to women in a scheme aimed at replacing unclean cooking fuels, used mostly in rural India with the clean and more efficient LPG gas. Election results, particularly in UP where the Prime Minister was able to develop a connection with women at large, seem to reflect in the UP Lok Sabha results. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Swachh Bharat campaign had a major role to play in BJP’s spectacular poll success

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the central government is committed to ensuring quality food to children while highlighting that well-nourished children are a key asset for a country`s strength.</p>

<p>Speaking at the 'Akshaya Patra'&nbsp;mid-day meal programme, where Prime Minister Modi served the third billionth meal to the children, he said that the Centre stressed on the health of the mother and child in the last five years, adding that vaccination has been a priority for his government for eradicating diseases.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"I am fortunate that I am serving the 300th crore thali. We are committed to ensuring quality food to our children. The first thali was served during Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s regime.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For a strong nation, we need well-nourished children," the Prime Minister said.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Modi underlined that the Centre is committed to ensuring a healthy childhood, adding that quality food, vaccination and cleanliness are the aspects for a child to be well-nourished.</p>

<p>Noting that the Centre`s flagship initiative — Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was receiving global attention, the Prime Minister informed that under the programme, the lives of about three lakh people could be saved according to an international report.</p>

<p>Talking about the ongoing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/14-crore-people-take-dip-as-kumbh-mela-begins-in-prayagraj-190554">Kumbh Mela</a>, Prime Minister Modi underlined that for the first time, the New York Times newspaper had made a report on the mela`s cleanliness and lauded the administration for the same."This time, the Kumbh Mela has succeeded in giving the message of cleanliness to the country. Normally, this mela is about sadhus. But for the first time, the New York Times made a report on cleanliness in Kumbh," he added.</p>

<p>Heaping praises on `Mission Indradhanush`, a programme aimed at immunising children under two years and pregnant women, Prime Minister Modi said that 3.40 lakh children and 90 lakh pregnant women have received vaccination till date.</p>

<p>"The way that the workers are racing against time to ensure immunisation to all women and children, the day is not far when we achieve total immunisation in our country," he added.</p>

<p>Acknowledging that the immunisation programme is receiving worldwide attention, Prime Minister Modi said that the same has been listed under the list of `12 best practices` according to a renowned medical journal.</p>

<p>Stressing that banks are now accessible for all cattle owners, the Prime Minister further said, "Now, banks are offering loans up to Rs 3 lakhs. This move is going to benefit all our livestock farmers."</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the central government is committed to ensuring quality food to children while highlighting that well-nourished children are a key asset for a country`s strength.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the central government is committed to ensuring quality food to children while highlighting that well-nourished children are a key asset for a country`s strength. Speaking at the 'Akshaya Patra' mid-day meal programme, where Prime Minister Modi served the third billionth meal to the children, he said that the Centre stressed on the health of the mother and child in the last five years, adding that vaccination has been a priority for his government for eradicating diseases. "I am fortunate that I am serving the 300th crore thali. We are committed to ensuring quality food to our children. The first thali was served during Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s regime. For a strong nation, we need well-nourished children," the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Modi underlined that the Centre is committed to ensuring a healthy childhood, adding that quality food, vaccination and cleanliness are the aspects for a child to be well-nourished. Noting that the Centre`s flagship initiative — Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was receiving global attention, the Prime Minister informed that under the programme, the lives of about three lakh people could be saved according to an international report. Talking about the ongoing Kumbh Mela, Prime Minister Modi underlined that for the first time, the New York Times newspaper had made a report on the mela`s cleanliness and lauded the administration for the same."This time, the Kumbh Mela has succeeded in giving the message of cleanliness to the country. Normally, this mela is about sadhus. But for the first time, the New York Times made a report on cleanliness in Kumbh," he added. Heaping praises on `Mission Indradhanush`, a programme aimed at immunising children under two years and pregnant women, Prime Minister Modi said that 3.40 lakh children and 90 lakh pregnant women have received vaccination till date. "The way that the workers are racing against time to ensure immunisation to all women and children, the day is not far when we achieve total immunisation in our country," he added. Acknowledging that the immunisation programme is receiving worldwide attention, Prime Minister Modi said that the same has been listed under the list of `12 best practices` according to a renowned medical journal. Stressing that banks are now accessible for all cattle owners, the Prime Minister further said, "Now, banks are offering loans up to Rs 3 lakhs. This move is going to benefit all our livestock farmers."

Well-nourished children a key asset for strong nation, says PM Modi

<p>Indian government and various NGO&rsquo;s have been playing their bit by taking rigorous initiatives like &lsquo;Swachh Bharat Abhiyan&rdquo;, in order to keep the environment clean and healthy. However, it is heart-breaking to see that Indian society is somewhat failing to understand and perform its part.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Keeping the ideology in mind that man is a sensible social being and considering Indians as moralised civilians, the government arranged shoe covers for visitors touring Taj Mahal, so that the dirt of visitors&#39; shoes could be prevented and, thus, the whiteness of the Taj could be well-maintained. Ironically, these shoe covers are littered everywhere or found wafting in the air.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
At first, one might see a poised monument of white marble, beautifully embossed with Arabic inscriptions, securing its stature in the list of seven wonders of world. But when looking around the premises, one might lower the eyes and clamp up noticing the place being littered with the piles of plastic water bottles and discarded shoe covers left behind by the people who come down to admire the monument.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Taj looks shabbier with these wandering shoe covers than it would have looked with dirt stains at first. The beauty of the place has deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping rubbish away, bringing disgrace and dishonour to our heritage eventually. Now, the question is who is to be blamed?&nbsp;<br />
<br />
A consciousness of basic hygiene, etiquettes and sensibility of our society is yet again questionable whenever I see the dirty walls in our country. Instead of tall standing walls of pride, our walls become the &lsquo;wall of shame&rsquo;. Walls have layers of paan stains and its corners are used as the local urinal. It is absurd to witness red spitting stains and red letters running in bold saying &lsquo;Fine of Rs. 200 for spitting and littering here&rsquo;.<br />
<br />
Along with the emotional toll, such discoloured walls bring the dilemma of whether to laugh at these ironic sights or get disheartened.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
These experiences bring me back to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.&nbsp;<br />
Well, we have been talking about the many failures of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan but a deeper analysis is needed into who is to be blamed for the same.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Every individual needs to understand his responsibility of attaining and maintaining the balance in various aspects of our society whether be it health, ecology or heritage. The government of India has taken its step for the conservation of Taj, cleanliness of surrounding and in turn, the protection of its citizens. Now it&rsquo;s the responsibility of us, the Indians, to keep the surrounding clean in order to maintain the ecological balance as well as the esteem of our nation, because if one of them is destroyed, the other is affected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</p>


The beauty of Taj has deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping rubbish away, bringing disgrace and dishonour to our heritage eventually.

Indian government and various NGO’s have been playing their bit by taking rigorous initiatives like ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”, in order to keep the environment clean and healthy. However, it is heart-breaking to see that Indian society is somewhat failing to understand and perform its part. Keeping the ideology in mind that man is a sensible social being and considering Indians as moralised civilians, the government arranged shoe covers for visitors touring Taj Mahal, so that the dirt of visitors' shoes could be prevented and, thus, the whiteness of the Taj could be well-maintained. Ironically, these shoe covers are littered everywhere or found wafting in the air. At first, one might see a poised monument of white marble, beautifully embossed with Arabic inscriptions, securing its stature in the list of seven wonders of world. But when looking around the premises, one might lower the eyes and clamp up noticing the place being littered with the piles of plastic water bottles and discarded shoe covers left behind by the people who come down to admire the monument. Taj looks shabbier with these wandering shoe covers than it would have looked with dirt stains at first. The beauty of the place has deteriorated despite the efforts of keeping rubbish away, bringing disgrace and dishonour to our heritage eventually. Now, the question is who is to be blamed? A consciousness of basic hygiene, etiquettes and sensibility of our society is yet again questionable whenever I see the dirty walls in our country. Instead of tall standing walls of pride, our walls become the ‘wall of shame’. Walls have layers of paan stains and its corners are used as the local urinal. It is absurd to witness red spitting stains and red letters running in bold saying ‘Fine of Rs. 200 for spitting and littering here’. Along with the emotional toll, such discoloured walls bring the dilemma of whether to laugh at these ironic sights or get disheartened. These experiences bring me back to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Well, we have been talking about the many failures of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan but a deeper analysis is needed into who is to be blamed for the same. Every individual needs to understand his responsibility of attaining and maintaining the balance in various aspects of our society whether be it health, ecology or heritage. The government of India has taken its step for the conservation of Taj, cleanliness of surrounding and in turn, the protection of its citizens. Now it’s the responsibility of us, the Indians, to keep the surrounding clean in order to maintain the ecological balance as well as the esteem of our nation, because if one of them is destroyed, the other is affected. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: How Taj Mahal is doing under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?

<p>In this era of global warming and climate change, everyone is striving towards a clean and safe India. The recent initiative led by the Indian government added to its up-scaling. My recent visit to Medh village for a SHG (self help group) meeting gave me an opportunity to analyse the impact of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;A clean India would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150 birth anniversary in 2019,&rdquo; said Shri Narendra Modi as he launched the Swachh Bharat Mission at Rajpath in New Delhi. On 2nd October 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission was launched throughout length and breadth of the country as a national movement.</p>

<p>Its aim is to provide sanitation facilities to every family, including toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, village cleanliness, and safe and adequate drinking water supply by 2nd October, 2019. The campaign of Clean India movement is the biggest step taken ever as a cleanliness drive till date. On the day of the launch of the campaign, around 3 million government employees, including students from schools and colleges, had participated in the event to popularize it globally and make the common public aware of it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nominated the name of nine famous personalities from business industries, sports and Bollywood to drive the clean India campaign. He also had requested from all nine personalities to invite another nine persons individually and requested to continue the chain of nine people to take this campaign to every Indian living in any corner all around the country. While leading the mass movement for cleanliness, the Prime Minister exhorted people to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi&rsquo;s dream of a clean and hygienic India.</p>

<p>Lok Sahbhagi Sansthan (LSS), the organisation I am placed in, is working closely with the community with their signature project named &lsquo;SAMMAN&rsquo; which is aimed at transforming the lives of women SHG members by helping them build their own toilets. SAMMAN is the Hindi word for honour/dignity and therefore it is a suitable name for this project.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was being carried out by LSS with the involvement of, none other than one of previous AIF Clinton Fellow &ndash; Adil. He helped construction of many toilets along with support from this organisation&rsquo;s staff and his mentor.</p>

<p>Our project seeks to transform and improve the quality of the life of the poor in rural Jaipur, Rajasthan, and largely, India, by motivating them to build personal toilets and helping them get loans from banks and the encouragement amount from the government under Swachh Bharat Campaign for construction costs. &nbsp;I carried a small case study of this SHG group named Ganga.</p>

<p>It consists of around 15-20 members. &nbsp;I was able to speak to all the members of this SHG individually and ask them to share their opinion towards sanitation and cleanliness. I was also able to document and record their achievement. For a big surprise, almost all the members in this SHG have constructed their own toilets and are now in a more comfortable situation. It was because they encouraged each other to build those toilets in or near their home. They have also received encouragement amount from the government to their respective bank accounts. Before having toilets they would have to walk miles away into the fields to get relieved, where they would feel insecure and also helpless. During winter seasons, due to the cold climate, it was again a big hurdle for them every day. But after getting the awareness for construction of toilets, they built their own toilets and are now free and happy. This was all possible because of the sincere efforts of LSS staff and the previous AIF Fellow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although the problems such as water availability etc. still persist, the women now feel more secure and way better than before having their own toilets at home.</p>

<p>Also, Jaipur district is now in the process of being declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF). It is having 100% ODF villages as of today.</p>

<p>Way ahead to go is to ensure that piped water supply to each and every single household is made available around these villages so that this initiative becomes completely successful and sustainable. Also, this is a major challenge for the government, as it requires a lot of budget and infrastructure to create this facility for all houses in the villages, due to their remoteness and various other issues.</p>

<p>A solution towards this issue can be the design of cost-effective toilets with low water usage and also if possible bio-toilets. Mainly, the poorest of the poor are unable to afford proper construction and maintenance of the toilets in the current design structure. It is also being said that the figures are manipulated since; many toilets are unconstructed or partially constructed with no real time usage at all. So, the challenge now is to ensure proper scrutinize and data collection. There have been efforts to make use of GPS to report the covered areas under this scheme but it needs to be dealt more accurately.</p>

<p>India consists of people of various faiths; Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains etc, and they follow their faiths very devotedly. But it is a sad reality of our country that all the cleanliness and piousness is only confined to religious activities or kitchen.</p>

<p>Also, many insights can be taken from the book &ldquo;Where India Goes&rdquo; authored by former AIF Clinton Fellow Diane Coffey, which talks about the connection between caste, toilet and development in India and how to address these related issues. It calls for the annihilation of caste and attendant prejudices, and a fundamental shift in policy perspectives to effect a crucial, much overdue change.</p>

<p>I learned that change is possible only if you seek it. Especially rural India needs more of awareness and encouragement from people dedicated to promote sustainable development. People in rural areas are easy to understand, more humble and responsive than urban population. If you are successful in convincing them about which is the right way to do things and how it would benefit all the community, then they will themselves come forward to join any initiative and work towards its success.</p>

<p>To sum up, I realised that &ndash; Real INDIA lies in this 6 lakh plus villages of our country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</p>


Although the problems such as water availability etc. still persist, the women, having their own toilets at home, now feel more secure and way better than before.

In this era of global warming and climate change, everyone is striving towards a clean and safe India. The recent initiative led by the Indian government added to its up-scaling. My recent visit to Medh village for a SHG (self help group) meeting gave me an opportunity to analyse the impact of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Mission. “A clean India would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150 birth anniversary in 2019,” said Shri Narendra Modi as he launched the Swachh Bharat Mission at Rajpath in New Delhi. On 2nd October 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission was launched throughout length and breadth of the country as a national movement. Its aim is to provide sanitation facilities to every family, including toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, village cleanliness, and safe and adequate drinking water supply by 2nd October, 2019. The campaign of Clean India movement is the biggest step taken ever as a cleanliness drive till date. On the day of the launch of the campaign, around 3 million government employees, including students from schools and colleges, had participated in the event to popularize it globally and make the common public aware of it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nominated the name of nine famous personalities from business industries, sports and Bollywood to drive the clean India campaign. He also had requested from all nine personalities to invite another nine persons individually and requested to continue the chain of nine people to take this campaign to every Indian living in any corner all around the country. While leading the mass movement for cleanliness, the Prime Minister exhorted people to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean and hygienic India. Lok Sahbhagi Sansthan (LSS), the organisation I am placed in, is working closely with the community with their signature project named ‘SAMMAN’ which is aimed at transforming the lives of women SHG members by helping them build their own toilets. SAMMAN is the Hindi word for honour/dignity and therefore it is a suitable name for this project. It was being carried out by LSS with the involvement of, none other than one of previous AIF Clinton Fellow – Adil. He helped construction of many toilets along with support from this organisation’s staff and his mentor. Our project seeks to transform and improve the quality of the life of the poor in rural Jaipur, Rajasthan, and largely, India, by motivating them to build personal toilets and helping them get loans from banks and the encouragement amount from the government under Swachh Bharat Campaign for construction costs. I carried a small case study of this SHG group named Ganga. It consists of around 15-20 members. I was able to speak to all the members of this SHG individually and ask them to share their opinion towards sanitation and cleanliness. I was also able to document and record their achievement. For a big surprise, almost all the members in this SHG have constructed their own toilets and are now in a more comfortable situation. It was because they encouraged each other to build those toilets in or near their home. They have also received encouragement amount from the government to their respective bank accounts. Before having toilets they would have to walk miles away into the fields to get relieved, where they would feel insecure and also helpless. During winter seasons, due to the cold climate, it was again a big hurdle for them every day. But after getting the awareness for construction of toilets, they built their own toilets and are now free and happy. This was all possible because of the sincere efforts of LSS staff and the previous AIF Fellow. Although the problems such as water availability etc. still persist, the women now feel more secure and way better than before having their own toilets at home. Also, Jaipur district is now in the process of being declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF). It is having 100% ODF villages as of today. Way ahead to go is to ensure that piped water supply to each and every single household is made available around these villages so that this initiative becomes completely successful and sustainable. Also, this is a major challenge for the government, as it requires a lot of budget and infrastructure to create this facility for all houses in the villages, due to their remoteness and various other issues. A solution towards this issue can be the design of cost-effective toilets with low water usage and also if possible bio-toilets. Mainly, the poorest of the poor are unable to afford proper construction and maintenance of the toilets in the current design structure. It is also being said that the figures are manipulated since; many toilets are unconstructed or partially constructed with no real time usage at all. So, the challenge now is to ensure proper scrutinize and data collection. There have been efforts to make use of GPS to report the covered areas under this scheme but it needs to be dealt more accurately. India consists of people of various faiths; Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains etc, and they follow their faiths very devotedly. But it is a sad reality of our country that all the cleanliness and piousness is only confined to religious activities or kitchen. Also, many insights can be taken from the book “Where India Goes” authored by former AIF Clinton Fellow Diane Coffey, which talks about the connection between caste, toilet and development in India and how to address these related issues. It calls for the annihilation of caste and attendant prejudices, and a fundamental shift in policy perspectives to effect a crucial, much overdue change. I learned that change is possible only if you seek it. Especially rural India needs more of awareness and encouragement from people dedicated to promote sustainable development. People in rural areas are easy to understand, more humble and responsive than urban population. If you are successful in convincing them about which is the right way to do things and how it would benefit all the community, then they will themselves come forward to join any initiative and work towards its success. To sum up, I realised that – Real INDIA lies in this 6 lakh plus villages of our country. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Women are building their own toilets in Rajasthan

<p>Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, politicians cutting across party lines paid tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial on his 148th birth anniversary today.</p>

<p>PM Modi, whose cleanliness drive, the &quot;Swachh Bharat Abhiyan&quot; completes three years today, said a clean India was possible only if 125 crore countrymen came together.&nbsp; &quot;Cleanliness is Godliness&quot; had been the mantra of Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s life.</p>

<p>The Indian PM also said that issues such as cleanliness and hygiene should not be&nbsp;politicised, adding that&nbsp;cleanliness had to be seen through the prism of women.</p>

<p>He also asked everyone to introspect if the campaign was not achieving the desired momentum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Society, media supported Clean India. Should introspect if the campaign is not receiving the desired momentum, notwithstanding this support,&quot; PM Modi said.</p>

<p>President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, former prime minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh and BJP veteran leader LK Advani were the first to arrive at Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s&nbsp;memorial, Raj Ghat in New Delhi early morning.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">President Ram Nath Kovind pays tributes to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MahatmaGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MahatmaGandhi</a> at Delhi&#39;s Rajghat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GandhiJayanti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GandhiJayanti</a> <a href="https://t.co/UWtIxZ8sFu">pic.twitter.com/UWtIxZ8sFu</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914684334518394880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="und">Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tributes to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MahatmaGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MahatmaGandhi</a> at Delhi&#39;s Rajghat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GandhiJayanti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GandhiJayanti</a> <a href="https://t.co/YW7FvjBslE">pic.twitter.com/YW7FvjBslE</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914674975453278208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Former PM Manmohan Singh &amp; senior BJP leader LK Advani pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GandhiJayanti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GandhiJayanti</a> <a href="https://t.co/2ioONH5EAz">pic.twitter.com/2ioONH5EAz</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914671107671814154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pays tributes to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MahatmaGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MahatmaGandhi</a> at Delhi&#39;s Rajghat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GandhiJayanti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GandhiJayanti</a> <a href="https://t.co/390dIu8sHV">pic.twitter.com/390dIu8sHV</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914679149045755904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">PM Modi and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu at Rajghat after paying tributes to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MahatmaGandhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MahatmaGandhi</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GandhiJayanti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GandhiJayanti</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wqq09VKD6Z">pic.twitter.com/Wqq09VKD6Z</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914679391052906496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>On Twitter, PM Modi also posted videos to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and that of India&#39;s second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???-??? ???! I bow to beloved Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. His noble ideals motivate millions across the world. <a href="https://t.co/NFUHMLVCxo">pic.twitter.com/NFUHMLVCxo</a></p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/914652359204179968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">?????? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ???! Remebering Lal Bahadur Shastri ji on his Jayanti. <a href="https://t.co/88ieTHnZip">pic.twitter.com/88ieTHnZip</a></p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/914652654403510272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Indian prime minister, the President, vice president and Manmohan Singh&nbsp;paid tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri at his memorial, Vijay Ghat.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: PM Narendra Modi pays tributes to Lal Bahadur Shastri on latter&#39;s birth anniversary, at Vijay Ghat. <a href="https://t.co/8qUsiVoOSM">pic.twitter.com/8qUsiVoOSM</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914691264666202112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pay tributes at Lal Bahadur Shastri&#39;s memorial, Vijay Ghat. <a href="https://t.co/lhmMBD2Sdw">pic.twitter.com/lhmMBD2Sdw</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914690247056871424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Former PM Manmohan Singh also paid tributes at Lal Bahadur Shastri&#39;s memorial, Vijay Ghat. <a href="https://t.co/bTuhm3pL29">pic.twitter.com/bTuhm3pL29</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/914673257382424576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Gandhi Jayanti will be marked by cleanliness drives to promote the &quot;Swachh Bharat Abhiyan&#39;, a flagship mission of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which aims at making people aware about the advantages of cleanliness.</p>

<p>Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will launch &#39;Swachchata-ni 60-Minutes&#39;, a mass campaign for cleanliness&nbsp;today as part of &#39;Swachch Bharat Mission&#39;, alongside the Social Equanimity Week.</p>

<p>He will also lay the foundation stone or inaugurate various capital works for Porbandar totalling Rs&nbsp;46.78 crore.</p>

<p>The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had launched the &#39;Swachh Bharat Abhiyan&#39; on October 2, 2014 with a vision of achieving &#39;Clean India&#39; by 2019.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Modi has appointed several ambassadors from various walks of public life and assigned them the job of inspiring and motivating their fellow countrymen to keep India clean.</p>

<p>The drive to make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) is one of the key parameters in the cleanliness drive. The central and state governments have been constructing toilets and urinals in the remotest areas of the country.</p>

<p>School students countrywide will also participate in the cleanliness drives to pay homage to the Father of the Nation.</p>

<p>Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, and died on January 30, 1948.</p>

<p>The Indian political and spiritual leader, popularly known as <em>Bapu</em>,&nbsp;played a key role in the Indian independence movement. He the novel technique of non-violent agitation, which he called &quot;Satyagraha&quot;.</p>

<p>He is known for his non-violent civil disobedience in India and South Africa. These included the non-cooperation movement in 1922 and the 1930 Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March.</p>

<p>Through Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s efforts, India finally gained its freedom on August 15, 1947. The nation mourned for him after he was assassinated on January 30, 1948.</p>

<p>The United Nations&#39; (UN) International Day of Non-Violence is also held on October 2 each year to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s birthday.</p>

<p>Lal Bahadur Shastri&nbsp;joined the Indian independence movement in the 1920s. He died on January 11, 1966.</p>

<p>The former prime minister died in Tashkent, a day after he signed the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack. Many allege a&nbsp;conspiracy behind his death.</p>

<p>He was the first prime minister of India to die overseas.&nbsp;</p>


The Indian PM also said that issues such as cleanliness and hygiene should not be?politicised

Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, politicians cutting across party lines paid tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial on his 148th birth anniversary today. PM Modi, whose cleanliness drive, the "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan" completes three years today, said a clean India was possible only if 125 crore countrymen came together. "Cleanliness is Godliness" had been the mantra of Mahatma Gandhi's life. The Indian PM also said that issues such as cleanliness and hygiene should not be politicised, adding that cleanliness had to be seen through the prism of women. He also asked everyone to introspect if the campaign was not achieving the desired momentum. "Society, media supported Clean India. Should introspect if the campaign is not receiving the desired momentum, notwithstanding this support," PM Modi said. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, former prime minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh and BJP veteran leader LK Advani were the first to arrive at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, Raj Ghat in New Delhi early morning. President Ram Nath Kovind pays tributes to #MahatmaGandhi at Delhi's Rajghat #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/UWtIxZ8sFu — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tributes to #MahatmaGandhi at Delhi's Rajghat #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/YW7FvjBslE — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Delhi: Former PM Manmohan Singh & senior BJP leader LK Advani pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/2ioONH5EAz — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pays tributes to #MahatmaGandhi at Delhi's Rajghat #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/390dIu8sHV — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × PM Modi and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu at Rajghat after paying tributes to #MahatmaGandhi on #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/Wqq09VKD6Z — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × On Twitter, PM Modi also posted videos to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and that of India's second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. ????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???-??? ???! I bow to beloved Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. His noble ideals motivate millions across the world. pic.twitter.com/NFUHMLVCxo — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2017 × ?????? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ?? ???! Remebering Lal Bahadur Shastri ji on his Jayanti. pic.twitter.com/88ieTHnZip — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2017 × The Indian prime minister, the President, vice president and Manmohan Singh paid tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri at his memorial, Vijay Ghat. Delhi: PM Narendra Modi pays tributes to Lal Bahadur Shastri on latter's birth anniversary, at Vijay Ghat. pic.twitter.com/8qUsiVoOSM — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu pay tributes at Lal Bahadur Shastri's memorial, Vijay Ghat. pic.twitter.com/lhmMBD2Sdw — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Delhi: Former PM Manmohan Singh also paid tributes at Lal Bahadur Shastri's memorial, Vijay Ghat. pic.twitter.com/bTuhm3pL29 — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2017 × Gandhi Jayanti will be marked by cleanliness drives to promote the "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', a flagship mission of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which aims at making people aware about the advantages of cleanliness. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will launch 'Swachchata-ni 60-Minutes', a mass campaign for cleanliness today as part of 'Swachch Bharat Mission', alongside the Social Equanimity Week. He will also lay the foundation stone or inaugurate various capital works for Porbandar totalling Rs 46.78 crore. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had launched the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on October 2, 2014 with a vision of achieving 'Clean India' by 2019. Prime Minister Modi has appointed several ambassadors from various walks of public life and assigned them the job of inspiring and motivating their fellow countrymen to keep India clean. The drive to make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) is one of the key parameters in the cleanliness drive. The central and state governments have been constructing toilets and urinals in the remotest areas of the country. School students countrywide will also participate in the cleanliness drives to pay homage to the Father of the Nation. Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, and died on January 30, 1948. The Indian political and spiritual leader, popularly known as Bapu, played a key role in the Indian independence movement. He the novel technique of non-violent agitation, which he called "Satyagraha". He is known for his non-violent civil disobedience in India and South Africa. These included the non-cooperation movement in 1922 and the 1930 Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March. Through Mahatma Gandhi's efforts, India finally gained its freedom on August 15, 1947. The nation mourned for him after he was assassinated on January 30, 1948. The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Non-Violence is also held on October 2 each year to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Lal Bahadur Shastri joined the Indian independence movement in the 1920s. He died on January 11, 1966. The former prime minister died in Tashkent, a day after he signed the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack. Many allege a conspiracy behind his death. He was the first prime minister of India to die overseas.

Should introspect if Clean India campaign doesn't have desired momentum: PM Modi on Gandhi Jayanti

<p>An Indian Administrative Service officer has told a villager in Bihar to &quot;sell his wife&quot; if he could not afford to build a toilet at home.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Telegraph reported that Aurangabad district magistrate Kanwal Tanuj was addressing a &quot;swachhta mahasabha&quot; (an awareness programme against open defecation).&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his address, he was asking his audience of about 500 to build toilets in their homes for which they would be reimbursed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Suddenly, the Telegraph said, a man in his 50s interrupted him. &quot;We are poor. We haven&#39;t the money to get a toilet built. Please give us the cash in advance,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Angry at the interruption, Tanuj shot back: &quot;Agar paise nahi hai toh biwi ko bech do. (If you don&#39;t have the money, sell your wife.)&quot;</p>

<p>The Telegraph added that Tanuj later accused male villagers of being indifferent to the safety of their womenfolk who have had to face sexual assault when they step out to relieve themselves at night.</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s shocking that in spite of such incidents, you can&#39;t afford Rs 12,000 for the sake of your wives&#39; safety,&quot; he told the gathering of about 500.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Telegraph added that Tanuj had earlier explained that money for the toilets could not be given in advance since it might be misused.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Funds released in advance under the Indira Awaas Yojana had been used as wedding expenses,&quot; the Telegraph reported him as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Telegraph added that Tanuj told them his statement had been distorted and taken out of context.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the newspaper added that he did not reply when they sent him a clip of his statement that had been uploaded on social media.&nbsp;</p>


'We are poor. We haven't the money to get a toilet built. Please give us the cash in advance,' a villager had said to the IAS officer

An Indian Administrative Service officer has told a villager in Bihar to "sell his wife" if he could not afford to build a toilet at home. The Telegraph reported that Aurangabad district magistrate Kanwal Tanuj was addressing a "swachhta mahasabha" (an awareness programme against open defecation). In his address, he was asking his audience of about 500 to build toilets in their homes for which they would be reimbursed. Suddenly, the Telegraph said, a man in his 50s interrupted him. "We are poor. We haven't the money to get a toilet built. Please give us the cash in advance," he said. Angry at the interruption, Tanuj shot back: "Agar paise nahi hai toh biwi ko bech do. (If you don't have the money, sell your wife.)" The Telegraph added that Tanuj later accused male villagers of being indifferent to the safety of their womenfolk who have had to face sexual assault when they step out to relieve themselves at night. "It's shocking that in spite of such incidents, you can't afford Rs 12,000 for the sake of your wives' safety," he told the gathering of about 500. The Telegraph added that Tanuj had earlier explained that money for the toilets could not be given in advance since it might be misused. "Funds released in advance under the Indira Awaas Yojana had been used as wedding expenses," the Telegraph reported him as saying. The Telegraph added that Tanuj told them his statement had been distorted and taken out of context. But the newspaper added that he did not reply when they sent him a clip of his statement that had been uploaded on social media.

Bihar DM tells villager to 'sell his wife' if he can't afford to build toilet at home

<p>Nine people from the Bhawandi town of Maharashtra have been booked for &#39;cheating&#39; when they misused funds granted to them for building toilets under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Bhawandi division police said Wednesday.</p>

<p>The nine accused have been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), said Sukhada Narkar, the thana police PRO.</p>

<p>Quoting a complaint by a Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation official, police said that the nine had applied for benefits under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan subsidy to build toilets in 2015, but the toilets were never constructed and the money was misappropriated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Each of them was supposed to get INR 17,000 as subsidy, of which 6,000 had been granted as first installment.</p>

<p>The Swachh&nbsp;Bharat Abhiyan grants subsidy of at least INR15,000 (with each state government adding an&nbsp;amount as they deem right) to every registered household provided it falls under the below poverty line (BPL), SC/ST households above poverty line or differently abled and women headed households, and recognised by a committee comprising of Block Development Officer and the village panchayat President.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan grants subsidy for BPL and SC/ST families to build toilets in their homes

Nine people from the Bhawandi town of Maharashtra have been booked for 'cheating' when they misused funds granted to them for building toilets under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Bhawandi division police said Wednesday. The nine accused have been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 406 (Punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), said Sukhada Narkar, the thana police PRO. Quoting a complaint by a Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation official, police said that the nine had applied for benefits under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan subsidy to build toilets in 2015, but the toilets were never constructed and the money was misappropriated. Each of them was supposed to get INR 17,000 as subsidy, of which 6,000 had been granted as first installment. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan grants subsidy of at least INR15,000 (with each state government adding an amount as they deem right) to every registered household provided it falls under the below poverty line (BPL), SC/ST households above poverty line or differently abled and women headed households, and recognised by a committee comprising of Block Development Officer and the village panchayat President.

Maharashtra: Nine booked under IPC 406, 420 for misusing Swachh Bharat funds

<p>The founder of Sulabh International, Bindeshwar&nbsp;Pathak, has announced that an open defecation-free village in Mewat in Haryana will be named after US President Donald Trump.</p>

<p>Pathak, who made his announcement in the US, said the move would help build good relations with the&nbsp;United States, ANI reported.</p>

<p>Pathak added that the move would draw the attention of the world towards India &#39;s cleanliness campaign &#39;Swacch Bharat Abhiyan&#39;.</p>

<p>One of Sulabh&#39;s -- which is a not-for-profit -- aims is to provide people with toilets.</p>

<p>Sulabh, ANI reported, is currently working in some villages of Mewat to make them open defecation-free.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The move is aimed at helping build good relations with the United States

The founder of Sulabh International, Bindeshwar Pathak, has announced that an open defecation-free village in Mewat in Haryana will be named after US President Donald Trump. Pathak, who made his announcement in the US, said the move would help build good relations with the United States, ANI reported. Pathak added that the move would draw the attention of the world towards India 's cleanliness campaign 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan'. One of Sulabh's -- which is a not-for-profit -- aims is to provide people with toilets. Sulabh, ANI reported, is currently working in some villages of Mewat to make them open defecation-free.

Cleaning India? Sulabh names Haryana village after Trump

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Maharashtra: Nine booked under IPC 406, 420 for misusing Swachh Bharat funds

Cleaning India? Sulabh names Haryana village after Trump