New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the goal of 'Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0' is to make the cities garbage-free. He was speaking after launching the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0.
"In 2014, the countrymen took a pledge to make India open defecation free - ODF and they fulfilled this pledge with the construction of more than 10 crore toilets. Now the goal of 'Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0' is to make the city garbage-free, completely free of garbage," the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister underlined the scope of the country's target in the next phase of Mission AMRUT as 'Improving sewage and septic management, making our cities water safe and ensuring that no sewage drains anywhere in our rivers'.
The Prime Minister dedicated the successes of transformation in urban regeneration and cleanliness to Mahatma Gandhi. "These missions are the result of inspiration by Mahatma Gandhi and are being realized through his ideals only," he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the ease for mothers and daughters due to the construction of toilets.
Saluting the spirit of the nation, the Prime Minister said that the journey of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and AMRUT Mission so far makes every countryman proud. "In this, there is a mission, there is respect, there is dignity, there is also the ambition of a country and there is also the unmatched love for the motherland," he said.
Noting that today's event was taking place in the Ambedkar International Centre, the Prime Minister said that Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar believed in urban development as a great means of removing inequality and many people from villages come to cities with an aspiration for a better life.
"They get employment but their standard of living remains in a difficult situation even compared to their lives in the villages. This is like double jeopardy of staying away from home, and after that to stay in such a difficult situation. Babasaheb's emphasis was on changing this situation by removing this inequality. The next phase of Swachh Bharat Mission and Mission Amrit is an important step towards fulfilling the dreams of Babasaheb," said the Prime Minister.
He said, along with Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas are critical for the campaign of cleanliness.
Talking about the level of public participation with regard to cleanliness, the Prime Minister expressed happiness that the present generation has taken the initiative to strengthen the cleanliness campaign, and the toffee wrappers are no longer thrown on the ground but kept in pockets by children. Small children now ask the elders to avoid mess.
"We have to remember that cleanliness is not a task just for a day, a fortnight, a year or for just a few people. Cleanliness is a great campaign for everyone, every day, every fortnight, every year, generation after generation. Cleanliness is a lifestyle, cleanliness is a life mantra," said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister recalled his efforts as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for enhancing the tourist potential of Gujarat where he turned the quest for cleanliness into Jan Andolan by the Nirmal Gujarat Programme.
The Prime Minister pointed out that today India is processing about one lakh tonnes of waste every day. "When the country started the campaign in 2014, less than 20 per cent of the waste generated every day in the country was processed. Today we are processing about 70 per cent of daily waste. Now we have to take it to 100 per cent," he said.
The Prime Minister also talked about enhanced allocations for the Urban Development Ministry. "In the preceding seven years before 2014, the Ministry was given about Rs 1.25 lakh crore while in seven years from 2014 almost Rs four lakh crore were allocated to the Ministry," the Prime Minister said.
The use of modern technology is also continuously increasing for the development of cities in the country. The Prime Minister mentioned the recently launched National Automobile Scrappage Policy, and pointed out that this new scrapping policy strengthens the campaign of Waste to Wealth and a circular economy.