TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 17, 2024: Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today inaugurated the statewide ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ fortnight in a ceremony held at the Telibandha Pond area in Raipur. The campaign, aimed at promoting cleanliness, began with Shri Sai administering an oath of cleanliness to citizens and participating in a symbolic cleaning drive by sweeping the Telibandha Talab premises.
During the event, the Chief Minister honoured sanitation workers, known as “Swachhta Didis,” for their dedicated service and presented PPE kits to them. Several NGOs, including Green Army, Bunch of Fools, Kuch Farz Hamara Bhi, and Avengers Group, were also recognised with certificates of appreciation for their efforts in maintaining cleanliness across the city. Additionally, social worker Mrs. Shubhangi Apte was lauded for her contributions. Shri Sai also flagged off a cleanliness marathon and inaugurated a fleet of new sanitation vehicles.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Shri Sai emphasised the need to turn cleanliness into a social movement. “Cleanliness should not be seen as a one-time effort but as a daily habit. Public awareness is key to ensuring that our cities, villages, and the entire state remain clean and beautiful,” he said. He stressed that the campaign, launched under the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ initiated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2014, marked the beginning of a significant shift in the country’s approach to sanitation.
Shri Sai praised the Prime Minister’s efforts in empowering the poor and underprivileged through various schemes such as the Jan Dhan Yojana, ensuring that government funds reach the beneficiaries directly and effectively. He also extended his best wishes to Prime Minister Modi on his birthday and greeted the attendees on Vishwakarma Jayanti.
The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the “Swachhta Didis” for their essential work in household waste collection and waste segregation for recycling and composting. He highlighted the importance of such initiatives in achieving environmental sustainability and mentioned his recent participation in the Global Renewable Energy Investors Meet and Expo in Gujarat, which focused on promoting environmental and atmospheric cleanliness.
The Secretary of the Urban Administration and Development Department, Dr. Basavaraju S., outlined the activities planned for the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ fortnight, which will be conducted across all 184 urban local bodies in Chhattisgarh. The campaign, themed ‘Swabhav Swachhta, Sanskar Swachhta’ (Cleanliness as a Habit, Cleanliness as a Value), will include marathons, cyclothons, and voluntary labour drives (Shramdaan), along with efforts to ensure sanitation workers receive the benefits of government schemes.
Also present at the event were Raipur Division Commissioner Shri Mahadev Kavre, Raipur Municipal Commissioner Shri Abhinash Mishra, and other senior officials.
