In a significant move towards bolstering cleanliness and sanitation efforts, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the ‘Maha Swachhata Abhiyan’ at the iconic Gateway of India in Mumbai on Sunday. The launch ceremony witnessed the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, along with other key figures such as Mumbai City District Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar, Mumbai Suburban District Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal.
As part of the launch event, Chief Minister Shinde paid respects at the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and offered floral tributes at the statue of Swami Vivekananda. The ‘Maha Swachhata Abhiyan’ aligns with the broader Swachh Bharat Mission, a nationwide campaign initiated to clean streets, roads, and public infrastructure across cities, towns, and rural areas.
The Swachh Bharat Mission, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014, aims to eliminate open defecation by constructing household and community-owned toilets. The campaign involves establishing a robust mechanism to monitor toilet use and has become the largest cleanliness drive in the country.
Prime Minister Modi coined the campaign as ‘Satyagraha se Swachhagraha,’ drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha launched on April 10, 1917. The mission operates in two phases: Swachh Bharat Mission (‘gramin’ or ‘rural’) under the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Swachh Bharat Mission (‘urban’) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
In February 2020, the Centre approved Phase-II of the SBM-G with a total outlay of Rs. 1,40,881 crores, focusing on sustaining the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and implementing Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) in villages. The aim is to transform villages from ODF to ODF Plus by 2024-25.
The ‘Maha Swachhata Abhiyan’ launch signifies Maharashtra’s commitment to cleanliness and sanitation, contributing to the broader national mission for a cleaner and healthier India.
