About 16 crore people join ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ drive

New Delhi: More than 16 crore citizens across India joined the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign, cleaning nearly 14 lakh cleanliness target units (CTUs) and five lakh public spaces, while over 1.5 lakh Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs were held to emphasise the safety and dignity of sanitation workers, official data showed.

The Jal Shakti Ministry on Thursday observed Swachh Bharat Diwas with a collective ‘shramdaan’ by senior officials, marking the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

The event also marked the culmination of the SHS 2025 campaign, jointly organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) from September 17 to October 2, according to an official statement.

According to official data, more than 16 crore citizens across the country took part in the campaign, leading to the cleaning of nearly 14 lakh CTUs and five lakh public spaces. The initiative also saw the organisation of 1.5 lakh Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs, underlining the focus on the safety and dignity of sanitation workers.

Reviewing the progress of the campaign, DDWS Secretary Ashok K K Meena chaired a meeting with senior officials ahead of the shramdaan exercise.

He lauded the contributions of gram panchayats and district administrations in mobilising communities and urged officials to lead by example in sustaining the cleanliness drive.

“Swachhata Hi Seva has truly evolved into a people’s movement, powered by community participation and a shared resolve for a Swachh and Swasth Bharat,” Meena said, stressing the importance of maintaining cleanliness at difficult and dirty spots designated as CTUs.

Launched as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the SHS 2025 campaign placed special focus on citizen-led

action and collective responsibility, reinforcing its identity as a ‘Jan Andolan’ (public movement).