India / PM Modi launches Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 & AMRUT 2.0

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 have been designed to realise the aspiration to make all our cities 'Garbage Free' and 'Water Secure'.

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was also present at the event.

Here are the key points from Modi's address-

* The aim of Swach Bharat Mission 2.0 is to make the cities garbage-free.

* With this 2nd phase, we also aim sewage and safety management, making cities water-secure and ensuring that dirty nullahs don't merge into rivers.

* This 2nd phase of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 & AMRUT 2.0 is also an important step in fulfilling dreams of BR Ambedkar.

* It's our privilege that today's program has been organised at BR Ambedkar Center. He believed that urban development was pivotal to equality.

* Toffee wrappers are no more thrown on floors but kept in pockets. Kids alert elders not to litter around. The youth are taking initiative.

* Some are earning wealth from waste, while some are creating awareness. There is segregation of dry and wet waste, there's awareness:

* Aim of second phase of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation is to make cities water secure.

* The garbage mountains in cities will be processed and removed completely as part of Swachta second phase.

* Cleanliness is not just for a day, fortnight or year, it is a mega campaign for everyday, for everyone to take part in it.

* Today India is processing about 1 lakh tonnes of waste every day. When we started the campaign in 2014, less than 20% of the waste was being processed. Today we are processing about 70% of daily waste. Now we have to take it to 100%.

* PM Modi calls sanitation workers and people engaged in waste segregation as the "Mahanayak" of Swachh Bharat Mission

These flagship missions signify a step forward in our march towards effectively addressing the challenges of rapidly urbanizing India and will also help contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, said the PMO.