Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation would be aimed at making cities free of garbage and ensuring safe water. It would also be ensured that no untreated water was discharged into any of the rivers in the country.
Launching the second edition of the mission, he applauded the country for fulfilling the pledge of making it Open Defecation Free (ODF).
Noting that the Friday event was taking place in the Ambedkar International Centre, he pointed out that Babasaheb believed in urban development as the means of removing inequality.
People came to cities for better life. Even if they got employment, their living standard was often worse than what was in villages. It was a double whammy for workers, first they were away from their homes and then they were forced to live in deplorable conditions, he stated.
India was processing about one lakh tonne of waste every day. Under the new phases of the two missions, the garbage mountains that pile up at the borders of cities would be processed and completely removed, he remarked.
Appreciating the contribution of the younger generation to the success of the first round of the Swachh Bharat Mission, he observed, “Toffee wrappers are no longer thrown on the ground but kept in pockets. Little children remind their elders not to litter”.
‘Cleanliness a great campaign’
The cycle of cleanliness was continuous. “We have to remember that cleanliness is not a task just for a day, a fortnight, a year or for just a few people. Cleanliness is a great campaign for everyone, every day, every fortnight, every year, generation after generation. Cleanliness is a lifestyle, cleanliness is a life mantra,” he stressed.
The success of the two missions so far should make every citizen proud. “In this, there is a mission, there is respect, there is dignity, there is also our collective ambition and unmatched love for the motherland. We have come a long way since the mission started. In 2014, only 20 per cent of the waste was processed. Currently, 70 per cent of the waste is being processed in cities and we shall take it to 100 per cent,” he asserted.
The Prime Minister also talked about enhanced allocations for the Urban Development Ministry. In the seven years before 2014, the Ministry was given about ₹ 1.25 lakh crore, while in the seven years from 2014, almost ₹4 lakh crore had been allocated for the Ministry, he claimed.
Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Prahlad Singh Patel, Shri Kaushal Kishore, Bishweswar Tudu, Ministers from States, Mayors and chairpersons of urban local bodies and municipal commissioners were present on the occasion.
