PM Modi Inaugurates Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra; Says Swachh Bharat Mission Important In Fighting Covid-19

Before addressing the gathering, PM watched a short video on ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ at the Rashtriya Swachhta Kendra in the national capital.

PM Modi announced a week-long campaign from Aug 8 to 15 to free India of garbage. (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked students to adopt hygienic way of living while sharing its importance to contain the spread of Coronavirus pandemic. While inaugurating the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra (RKS), an interactive experience centre on Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Modi announced a week-long campaign from Aug 8 to 15 to free India of garbage. "We all are a part of a campaign now, 'Gandagi, Bharat Chorho'. I am glad that all of us, including the children present here, are following social distancing norms and wearing masks, to control the spread of Covid-19," PM Modi said. "Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra is a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi's efforts towards cleanliness, said PM Modi asking children to follow social distancing norms, wear masks to guard against coronavirus.

We all are a part of a campaign now, 'Gandagi, Bharat Chorho'. I am glad that all of us, including the children present here, are following social distancing norms and wearing masks, to control the spread of #COVID19: PM Modi at the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra pic.twitter.com/7PJzBvoaen

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2020

“I am happy to see that you are interested in issues of cleanliness,” Prime Minister told a group of 36 school kids, who were picked to represent the 36 states and Union Territories of India. The whole world is coming forward to adopt the values & principals of Mahatma Gandhi. When Gandhi ji's 150th birth anniversary was celebrated last year, that was unprecedented. Singers of different countries learnt & sung his favourite song 'Vaishnav Jan To': PM Modi said. "In the last few years, lakhs of people across the country, who are inspired by Gandhiji, have made 'Swachh Bharat Mission' a goal of their lives. This is the reason that we have been able to provide toilet facility to over 60 crore people in just 60 months," PM added. PM further asked people to imagine what would have happened had pandemic like Coronavirus broken out before 2014. "Could we have imposed lockdown when over 60 per cent population was forced to open defecation? 'Swachhagrah' has empowered us in the fight against COVID-19," he said. Before addressing the gathering, PM watched a short video on ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ at the Rashtriya Swachhta Kendra in the national capital. He also went through a 360 degree audio-visual show, which narrates the sanitation journey in a story form.

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi watches a short video on 'Swachh Bharat Mission' at the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra. Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra is an interactive experience center built to promote 'Swachh Bharat Mission'. pic.twitter.com/wGRK26j8t9

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2020

The installations at the RSK will introduce future generations to the successful journey of the world's largest behaviour change campaign, the Swachh Bharat (clean India) Mission," an official statement said. As per the details available, in hall 1, the visitors will experience a unique 360 degree audio-visual show, which will narrate India's Swachhata story -- a journey into the largest behaviour change campaign in the history of the world. Hall 2 contains a series of interactive LED panels, hologram boxes, interactive games and much more, to tell the story of the work done to achieve Gandhi's vision of a Swachh Bharat. The open air displays in the lawn adjacent to RSK will showcase three exhibits which are anecdotes from the journey of India from "Satyagraha to Swachhagraha". The Swachh Bharat Mission is now in its second phase, aiming to take India's villages from Open Defecation Free (ODF) to ODF Plus, with a strong focus on sustaining ODF status and ensuring solid and liquid waste management for all.