Union Minister Calls for Collective Responsibility in Cleanliness Campaign
Union Minister C.R. Patil urges citizens to embrace cleanliness as a collective responsibility during a special village assembly in Gujarat.
Ahmedabad, October 3 (Daily Kiran) : Union Minister for Water Power C.R. Patil has urged citizens to integrate cleanliness into their daily lives and collective responsibilities. He emphasized the importance of pledging not to litter and to discourage others from doing so.
Patil made these remarks during a special village assembly held in Majigam, a village in the Chikhli block of Gujarat’s Navsari district, on the occasion of Swachh Bharat Day on October 2. He took the time to honor sanitation workers for their contributions.
The minister highlighted that cleanliness should not be viewed as a one-day event but rather as a collective commitment from everyone. He referenced Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on cleanliness alongside freedom, noting that significant strides in sanitation have been made under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership since independence.
“The Swachh Bharat Mission has transformed rural sanitation conditions into a nationwide movement. Grassroots participation is continually driving this mission forward,” Patil stated.
During the assembly, achievements of the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 initiative, the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, and evaluations of cleanliness services were discussed. A senior official from the ministry also presented on the annual digital self-assessment system for village councils.
The gathering included Gujarat Minister Naresh Patel, Joint Secretary and Mission Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) Aishwarya Singh, the District Collector, and other senior officials from the state and district administrations.
On October 2, special village assemblies were held across rural areas nationwide as part of the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 initiative. These assemblies provided an opportunity for village councils and rural communities to review local sanitation and waste management efforts.
Discussions included the outcomes of the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 initiative and the assessment of waste segregation at four levels as per the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026. Additionally, the identification and registration of major waste generators and evaluations of ODF Plus model village councils were addressed.
The special village assembly also aimed to identify shortcomings in the sanitation system and incorporate necessary steps into village development plans, particularly the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). This initiative seeks to implement plans with better coordination among various sanitation activities at the grassroots level.
