PM Modi: Swachh Bharat campaign becoming new path to prosperity
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday celebrated the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) as the largest and most successful people’s movement of the 21st century, underlining its transformative impact on public health, wellbeing, and social attitudes across India. Speaking at an event commemorating 10 years of the mission, the prime minister highlighted the power of mass participation in driving India’s journey toward a cleaner and healthier future.
“You all made the Swachh Bharat Mission a success,” said Modi. He pointed out that over 28 crore people participated in more than 27 lakh events in just 15 days during the ‘Sewa Pakhwada’ campaign.
Modi said that political leaders, including chief ministers, ministers, and local representatives, played vital roles in advancing this national effort. He emphasised the importance of continuous action, noting that “only continuous efforts can lead to a clean India.”
During the event, the prime minister also inaugurated projects worth around Rs 10,000 crore under the Swachh Bharat and AMRUT 2.0 missions. These projects include critical water and sewage treatment plants across several states. Modi said that these infrastructure projects are pivotal in sustaining the cleanliness campaign and ensuring that its benefits reach future generations.
“When people talk about 21st-century India even after 1,000 years, they will definitely remember the Swachh Bharat Mission,” Modi remarked, highlighting the lasting legacy the movement is set to leave. Modi also took the opportunity to criticise previous administrations for neglecting sanitation as a national priority. “They never considered dirt and lack of toilets as national issues.
It was like they made dirt a part of their lives,” he said, taking a jab at the inaction of past leaders who, according to Modi, did little to address the issue.
He criticised political figures who invoked Mahatma Gandhi for their electoral benefits but ignored his passion for cleanliness. “Those who used Mahatma Gandhi for their vote bank have now forgotten his real subject of interest,” Modi said.
The prime minister recalled that over 60 per cent of India’s population was forced to defecate in the open a decade ago, which he described as a severe indignity for marginalised communities, particularly Dalits, backward classes, and women.
He lamented the health hazards posed by open defecation, calling it a major contributor to child mortality and a threat to women’s safety.
Highlighting the progress made, Modi cited studies showing the mission’s far-reaching impact. According to an international study, the Swachh Bharat Mission is credited with saving the lives of 60,000 to 70,000 children annually.
He further noted a UNICEF report indicating that over 90 per cent of women feel safer due to the construction of household toilets.
Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that between 2014 and 2019, the mission saved approximately 300,000 lives by reducing deaths caused by diarrhoea.
Beyond health benefits, Modi emphasised that the Swachh Bharat Mission has helped change societal attitudes toward
sanitation workers, bringing them newfound respect and pride in their work.
“Cleanliness is not just a one-day task but a lifelong value,” he said, urging citizens to treat their surroundings with the same care as they do places of worship and to instil this value in future generations.
The prime minister also touched upon efforts to address the dangerous
practice of manual cleaning of septic tanks, highlighting the government’s collaboration with the private and public sectors to find innovative solutions.
He noted that around 5,000 start-ups related to clean-tech are now registered and actively contributing to the mission’s goals.
The mission, according to Modi, has also spurred significant innovation in waste management and sanitation, giving a boost to India’s circular economy.
He praised initiatives that turn waste into valuable resources, particularly the recycling and reuse of water.
“Swachh Bharat Mission has given a significant boost to the circular economy in India,” he said, underscoring that the campaign has also created new economic opportunities in waste collection, transportation, and recycling sectors.
The prime minister expressed his gratitude to the countless individuals and industries that contributed to the mission’s success without seeking recognition.
He also extended thanks to political parties that supported the initiative.
With a touch of humour, he added: “They must have missed out on criticising me for it, but now that I have mentioned it, they might start criticising.”
Modi highlighted the construction of over 12 crore toilets, which raised toilet coverage from less than 40 per cent to 100 per cent nationwide.
