Chandigarh, May 19, 2015: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr N.Chandrababu Naidu today said that Swachh Bharat Mission should be taken as a collective responsibility by each and every citizen of the country for making India a clean country by October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi as envisioned by the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi.
Mr. Naidu, who was Chairman of Sub Group of Chief Ministers on Swachh Bharat Mission was addressing a press conference shortly after its second meeting here today, said that after independence a lot of development is taking place but sanitation is deteriorating day by day that resulted in bad impact on health, environment and hygiene. Representatives from eight states participated in today’s meeting including four Chief Ministers. Three departments of Government of India gave detailed presentations in the meeting about technical availability in India to improve the sanitation level, he added.
He said that it had been decided in the first meeting of the Sub-Group to study the best technologies and practices of sanitation available in all the states even the non-participating states. More emphasis had been laid on adoption of practical solution both in rural and urban areas to achieve the targets of the Mission. Modalities would also be worked out to give incentives like tax exemptions for setting up projects of waste to energy conversions, he added.
He said that excellent ideas and suggestions have been received in the meeting to generate energy from waste and garbage. He said that Haryana Chief Minister has given an important suggestion in the meeting as per which sanitation subject should be introduced from the primary education level to inculcate the habit of cleanliness right from childhood.
While describing the garbage management a universal problem, he said that every country in the world is working to deal with this problem and many have achieved remarkable results. India could also achieve the target of total sanitation as we all are working together to achieve it by collective efforts. Citing example of Singapore, he said that the country has achieved total sanitation as heavy fine is imposed for any violation. Similarly, China is doing wonderful in this direction and Japanese has a culture of cleanliness imbibed in their genes, he added.
He said that next meeting of Sub-Group would be organized in Banguluru in the state of Karnataka in mid June. Before that, a meeting on technical aspects would be conducted in Delhi. We are inviting international and local players and best practices and technologies available in India and abroad which would be adopted to achieve the target of Swachh Bharat Mission by October 2019. We are very confident in this direction, he added.
In reply to a question, Mr. Naidu said that we want to replicate the best practices and technologies for achieving the desired target under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
He thanked Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal for hosting the second meeting of the sub group today.
Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Lal, Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Mr. Om Parkash Dhankar, Minister of State for Cooperation Mr. Bikram Singh, Minister of State for Food and Supplies Mr. Karan Dev Kamboj, Chief Secretary Mr. D.S. Dhesi, Director General Information, Public Relations and Culture Affairs Department Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi and Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Amit Arya also present on this occasion. / (SK Vyas, Jalandhar)