8.4 mn-kg of waste collected under Swachh Bharat 2022 drive: Anurag Thakur

Since the launch of Swachh Bharat 2022 campaign, 8.4 million kgs of plastic waste has been collected across India, said Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports on Wednesday.

As part of the campaign, Thakur also launched a special cleanliness drive in Delhi's Chandni Chowk area. The cleanliness drive aims to collect 10 million kgs of plastic waste across the nation.

He urged the youth to dedicate two days coinciding with the Diwali festival to keep the surroundings clean.

According to a report in LiveMint, Anurag Thakur said that Swachh Bharat is not just a programme but a reflection of the genuine concerns of the people and their resolve to address those concerns. Without cleanliness, we cannot ensure good health and well-being of the people, he added.

A month-long Swachh Bharat campaign was launched on October 1, 2022 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, conducted across 744 districts of the country. The objectives of the Swachh Bharat campaign includes organising of cleaning of public spaces and households. The campaign also aims to involve all the segments of society, including government and non-government organisations. 

The minister said that this work was carried out in historical places, community centers, schools, and villages. He further elaborated that people, particularly the youth, are playing a pivotal role in participating and motivating others to join the campaign on voluntary basis. He also urged people to become ambassadors of ‘Clean India’. However, for this change, awareness needs to be created, added the minister.