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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a five-year “Clean India” campaign, or Swachh Bharat Mission, on Thursday morning, most likely by wielding the broom himself. The campaign will culminate on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019.

The national campaign will be formally launched at the Boat Club here with the Prime Minister administering a “cleanliness oath” to the nation.

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan takes part in ’Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (Clean India Mission) in New Delhi. Photo: S. Subramanium

In the hours after the launch with a series of events, including a visit by Mr. Modi to Valmiki Basti and a walkathon, Union government employees will gather in their offices to take the oath, which will be administered by the respective Ministers or administrative heads. They are expected to clean up their work spaces and put in 100 hours a year to keep their home and office surroundings clean.

In his message to the nation on the eve of Gandhi Jayanthi, President Pranab Mukherjee urged everyone to make the mission a success.

Equipped with a three-step idea to improve sanitation levels at stations, hospitals, residential colonies and coaching depots owned by the Indian Railways, the two zonal railway authorities have chalked out a detailed plan for the shramdan exercise on October 2.

According to WR officials, the first step — educate — is to have a massive drive to create awareness among people. The second step — demonstrate — is to encourage people to campaign for cleanliness  and the third is to punish.
“If any person is found littering or spitting, we will penalise them by imposing a fine of up to Rs 500 as per the Railway Act,” said a senior WR official.

’50,335 households do not have toilets in C’magalur

Zilla Panchayat to initiate cleanliness drive today

Cleanliness campaign will be flagged off on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi on Thursday, said Zilla Panchayat President Bhagya Ranganath.

Addressing mediapersons on Wednesday, she said that school and college students will be administered with an oath on cleanliness and awareness drive will be held on cleanliness and personal hygiene. As per the survey, the total number of houses in 226 gram panchayats in the district is 2,11,646 of which 1,32,923 houses have toilets. As many as 13,637 toilets were constructed last year and 14,751 toilets have been constructed this year.  As many as 50,335 households are yet to get toilet facilities. Work orders have been issued to construct 19,225 houses. 

Of Rs 7.48 crore available fund, Rs 2.40 crore has been spent, she said.

“Financial aid will be given for the construction of toilets after conducting social research of the development.

A campaign will be carried out  to create awareness for using toilets after the completion of construction. 

As many as 32 villages in the district have been declared as free from open-defecation. Under open-defecation free campaign and solid waste management programme, a village has been selected from every taluk to implement the programmes. Aldur, Sakharayapattna, Jayapura, Banakal B Kanabur, Vidyaranyapur and Lingadahalli villages have been selected for the purpose. 

Gubbiga gram panchayat in N R Pura taluk has been selected under Swarna Nairmalya award at the  division level, the ZP President said.

On conferring awards as motivation, she said that one panchayat has been selected in every taluk  considering the comprehensive development work for the award. Seven villages that have been selected for the award are Vasthare in Chikmagalur taluk, Bisilere in Kadur taluk, Koppa rural in Koppa taluk, Makonahalli in Mudigere, Muthinakoppain N R Pura, Kere in Sringeri and Kamanadurga in Tarikere for the award. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will confer the awards at Bangalore on October 2.