New Delhi / President Ram Nath Kovind complimented the Swachh Bharat Mission

At the Swachh Mahotsav event in New Delhi tomorrow, President Ramnath Kovind complimented the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) for inspiring historic behavior change in the country and putting forth a model for the world to replicate. He also gave away a set of Swachh Bharat awards. More than 1300 swachhata champions including school children, NCC cadets, volunteers from NSS and NYKS, swachhagrahies, sarpanches, representatives from States and UTs, central government ministries and media persons participated in the grand event.

President Kovind congratulated the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti for their relentless efforts during the past 5 years in inspiring behavior change at the grassroots under the SBM. He said that it was a matter of pride that under the SBM, our nation is all set to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals of sanitation for all by 2019 itself.

The President felicitated swachhata champions in different categories. Prominent awardees were Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple for Swachh Iconic Places, Department of Defense for Swachhata Pakhwada, Ministry of Railways for Swachhata Action Plan, Village Baghori, Uttarkashi is for the Ganga Gram, Sikkim and Gujarat for ODF Plus communicationsfor behavior change,and the Power Grid Corporation for its contribution to the Swachh Bharat Kosh.

For the Swachh Bharat Summer Internship, the first prize was given to Ranjitha S for NCC, Bharatiya Shaheed Sainik School, Nainital for NSS, and Vision Youth Association, Anantapuramu for NYKS.

For Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister Jal Shakti said, “SBM has not only been a behavior change programme, but it has also been a leadership-building movement, where we wanted people at the grassroots level to emerge as leaders in Swachhata." Shri Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Social Justice & Empowerment, said, “Gifting an ODF India and fulfilling Gandhi Ji's dream of a Swachh Bharat is the biggest tribute we can give to our beloved Bapu on his 150th birth anniversary.

Shri Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitationwelcomed all the attendees from across the country and congratulated them for making the SBM the largest Jan Andolan in the world.

Various other awardees in several categories including Swachh Railway Station, Swachh Petrol Pump, Swachh Highway and others were felicitated by the Minister Jal Shakti, who urged them to continue working for the sustainability of the ODF, solid and liquid waste management and water conservation.