Bhopal, Oct 2 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh government has carried out over 42,000 cleanliness drives during the 14-day-long 'Swachhta Pakhwada', which started on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17.

The campaign became a mass movement with several citizens from across the state participating to honour Prime Minister Modi.

Of the 42,500 drives, 34,022 public participation initiatives focused on cleanliness, 2,355 large-scale cleanliness drives, and 7,990 Safai Mitra Suraksha Camps.

During the campaign that concluded on October 2, cleanliness awareness was raised through interaction with the participation of over two lakh students from more than 850 schools based on the theme 'Swabhav Swachhata-Sanskar Swachhta'.

Highlighting the Madhya Pradesh government's efforts, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that school children were told to inculcate the habit of cleanliness from the very beginning of their lives. Students were taken on a tour of processing units and taught about waste disposal.

Citizens were made aware through street plays and cultural activities on plastic waste management, Amrut Mahotsav, and freedom from garbage in urban areas.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Yadav expressed confidence that the impact of these efforts will be reflected in the upcoming Cleanliness survey-2024.

Meanwhile, efforts were also made to identify and improve 968 black spots, enhancing their appearance and cleanliness. Additionally, health check-ups of two lakh lakh 'safai mitras' and their family members were conducted.

Through a public programme, the members involved were administered oaths to keep the cities clean.

Citizens were advised about the segregation of waste collected during the 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign.

The campaign aimed to inspire a shift towards fostering sustainable behavioural change, integrating cleanliness into daily habits, and promoting public participation in maintaining a clean and healthy environment.