On the eve of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens of the entire nation to perform an hour of "shramdaan" (volunteer work) for cleanliness on October 1 at 10 am. He claimed that this would be a fitting homage to Gandhi.
In an effort to encourage mass participation for this “big event” on cleanliness, called Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Saath (One Date One Hour Together), the garbage vans used for picking up household waste will make announcements and play jingles, besides special mobile caller tunes will be launched to sensitise people, sources said.
Modi spoke about the event in two programmes - Mann ki Baat and during the launch of Vande Bharat trains. “You can also join this cleanliness campaign in your street, or neighbourhood or at a park, river, lake or any other public place, and cleanliness must be undertaken wherever an Amrit Sarovar has been built,” he said.
The media has learned that recently cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba met for hours with top officials from the federal government and the states to ensure the success of this first-ever simultaneous cleanliness campaign. For this widespread action, the district administration and urban local authorities have been involved.
The housing and urban affairs ministry said the initiative invites individuals to participate in hands-on cleanup projects at public facilities such as markets, railway tracks, water bodies, tourist hotspots and religious sites. It said that all government departments, gram panchayats, and towns will support community-led cleanliness initiatives. Government entities will spread the message via social media, influencers and brand ambassadors of the Swachh Bharat Mission.