Preparations on to celebrate Modi's birthday as Sewa Divas

New Delhi: The BJP-NDA government at the centre is all set to observe Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday as 'Sewa Divas' nationwide on September 17. It falls during the fortnight long campaign "Swacchta Hi Sewa" across the country from Friday till Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.

Recently PM Modi asked the nation for the Swacchta campaign during his "Maan Ki Baat" programme on August 27. He called upon people to create an environment of cleanliness across the entire country so that the third anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission and Gandhi Jayanti, can be celebrated in a befitting manner.

The President of India Ram Nath Kovind would also kick off the 15 days long programme at his home turf, Kanpur Dehat on Friday.

The birth anniversary of Jan Sangh stalwart Deen Dayal Upadhyay also falls on September 25 which would be observed as "Sarvatra Swachhta". Large-scale cleaning of hospitals, parks, statues, bus stops, railway stations and ponds would be taken up on that day, BJP sources said.

All the Union Ministers would voluntarily take part in the SHS campaign and also would encourage others in their respective ministries to contribute towards cleanliness, saffron quarters asserted. 'Sharamdaan'- a voluntary work that would include all of them.

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to launch the fortnight long cleanliness campaign- SHS on behalf of his ministry here at 22nd Battalion ITBP, Tigri Camp in Mehrauli-Badarpur Road.

PM Modi has also urged all NGOs, schools, colleges, social, cultural and political leaders, corporate, government officials, collectors and sarpanches, to accelerate 'Swachhta' activities during the fortnight period.

Aiming to reach out more with the cleanliness message even in the remotest part of the country, the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has asked the All India Radio and Doordarshan-UNICEF to promote these drives and ensure the purpose. Reportedly, Akshay Kumar starring movie "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha", which delivers a strong message against open defecation, would also be telecast on DD during the gram sabhas in every gram panchayats to reach out more through the film, ministry officials said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has been told to mobilise at least Rs 1,000 crore for the Swachh Bharat Kosh, the Tourism Ministry has been asked to mobilise inter-faith organisations and "charismatic faith leaders with mass following" to spread the message.

The BJP national president Amit Shah would also participate in the cleanliness drive in Ranchi on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah would be on his three day visit to the state of Jharkhand from Friday.

In the last year he also pitched for observing the PM's birthday as 'Sewa Divas'. "There is nothing more satisfying than public service. It is very correct of the Prime Minister to say that development should benefit the poor people. This shows out commitment to 'antyodaya'," he mentioned in press conference in the last year.