Gandhi's dream of a Clean India put away in cold storage: Singh

Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India was put away in cold storage and his policies were buried by previous governments, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said today.

Gandhi's dreams were put away in cold storage and side-lined. Gandhi's dream was of a swachha Bharat (clean India). Gandhi's policies were buried," Union MSME Minister Giriraj Singh said while addressing the Swachhata Awards function here.

He said that Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan started by the Prime Minister in 2014 is changing the world's perception about India.

Director General of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan Akshay Raut said since the launch of Swachh Bharat mission, the sanitation coverage in the country has risen to 87 per cent from 38 per cent earlier.

"402 districts have become open defecation free including four lakh villages because this is not a toilet construction programme but in fact the world's biggest transformation programme which touches over 1.3 billion people," Raut said.

Industrial Clusters, Industry Associations and field offices of National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC), Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), DC(MSME), Coir Board were felicitated for their contribution to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.