Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Launches Swachhta Pakhwada-2024 in Delhi
The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas kicked off the Swachhta Pakhwada-2024 at Shastri Bhawan in Delhi. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, led the event and administered an oath for cleanliness to all senior officers and staff of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Minister of State Suresh Gopi also attended the event.
During his address, Puri highlighted the transformative impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission, noting the construction of nearly 12 crore toilets across rural and urban India. He emphasized the importance of the Swachhta Pakhwada initiative as part of the larger Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, calling it a fundamental campaign under PM Modi’s leadership that has changed people’s mindsets.
Puri also reflected on the achievements of the previous year’s Swachhta Pakhwada, which included building sanitation facilities, installing hygiene infrastructure, and conducting cleanliness drives. He mentioned that last year’s activities demonstrated a commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6).
He celebrated the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, stating that solid waste management in urban areas has improved to 77% from almost non-existent levels. According to the UN, households saved up to Rs 50,000 due to better health and hygiene practices.
The Minister stressed the need for continued commitment to cleanliness and the importance of making cities garbage-free and remediating all legacy dumpsites through the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0).
