Faith Leaders Laud the success of PM Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission in Reducing School Drop-Out Rate, Opening Doors of Prosperity for Common Man with Improved Health and Hygiene

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 3, 2024 -- To celebrate completion of 10 years of launch of Swachh Bharat Mission in India on the occasion of Swachh Bharat Diwas, faith leaders from different religions participated in a mega cleanliness drive at Juhu Beach organized by the India Minorities Foundation – an initiative by Chandigarh University, to mark the culmination of its 'Sewa Pakhwara' under Swachhata Hi Seva 2024 Campaign, to symbolise the unity among all communities towards building a sustainable and clean India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The religious leaders of different communities, including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain and Parsi, were joined by National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers and local residents in large numbers for the cleanliness drive to give the message of unity for Swachhata, promoting cleanliness and hygienic lifestyle in line with the Modi government's Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). They also took 'Swachhta Pledge' as part of the Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign 2024 with the theme 'Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata', to maintain cleanliness at home, neighbourhood and workplace.

Besides faith leaders of different minority communities, the dignitaries who attended the cleanliness drive included Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and IMF Convener, Satnam Singh Sandhu.

On the occasion, the religious leaders from various communities lauded PM Modi for making Swachh Bharat Mission a Jan Andolan (mass movement) during the past 10 years and changed the mindset of people for maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

About 60 per cent of India's population was compelled to defecate in the open due to a lack of toilets until ten years ago but with construction of more than 12 crore toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission, the scope of toilet coverage reached 100 percent from previously less than 40 per cent.

SBM is saving the lives of 60 to 70 thousand children every year according to a study conducted jointly by scientists from International Food Policy Research Institute Washington, University of California and Ohio State University.

The construction of toilets in the house, now more than 90 per cent of women felt safe and the diseases caused by infection in women had also reduced considerably. With the provision of separate toilets for girls in lakhs of schools under SBM, the drop-out rate had reduced and on average of 50 thousand rupees was being saved every year by families in villages which earlier was spent as out of pocket expenditure to cure diseases.

With the construction of crores of toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission, about 1.25 crore people have got employment in one form or another and youth were also getting better jobs and opportunities which are evident from about five thousand start-ups working in clean-tech now.

Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chandigarh University Chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu said, "In the past 10 years, there has been massive development and when it comes to cleanliness, the nation woke from sleep of 65 years after Independence and learnt how to live. "

"Over 12 crore toilets have been constructed under this programme. Today, there is 100 per cent toilet coverage in India and it has given a sense of the dignity and safety to women in India. It has brought a big change in 6 lakh villages of India and resulted in saving many lives. Today, we members of minority communities have gathered here for the cleanliness drive to show that people of all minority communities are standing along with PM Modi. We also want to give a message that we don't want cleanliness from garbage, we also need to have clean thoughts. We need to cleanse our society of people who want to divide the country in the name of caste and talk of Caste Census just like the cleanliness drive we are conducting today," Sandhu added.

A Mumbai resident and volunteer in the drive, Wasim Khan, who also runs Mashal Foundation said, "The way PM Modi has increased awareness about cleanliness in the 10 years under Swachh Bharat Mission is really commendable and there is remarkable change in the behavior of people at public places specially. Today, we see that there has been a huge change in the country towards cleanliness. People used to throw garbage in the open so frequently earlier. But today, we hesitate to do so because of the Swachh Bharat Mission. It has gained such a great momentum that now we see people in villages, streets, neighborhoods and cities have become aware about cleanliness. By uniting 140 crore Indians under this campaign, an important message of Clean, Hygiene and a better india is successfully conveyed," he added.

Dr Azeem S Memon, Director, Chishty Foundation Ajmer Dargah and another volunteer of the cleanliness drive, said, "Open defecation was a grave menace in a country like India that not only has the largest population base in the world, but a large chunk of that population lives in rural areas. Apart from the threat of diseases, open defecation was also a big concern in terms of safety of women. In such a scenario, Swachh Bharat Mission's launch has been instrumental in reducing crime against women as today over 93 per cent females in the country have access to toilets. Over 12 crore toilets have been constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission since 2014; this has transformed the sanitation landscape of rural India completely."

Another faith leader from Muslim community, Haseen Aghadi, was a part of this drive. He said, "Apart from addressing the needs of cleanliness and proper sanitation in the country, Swachh Bharat Mission under Modi government has also resulted in reducing carbon emissions. As a result, India is on the forefront of mitigating climate change impacts today. This year's theme, 'Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata,' emphasises on the importance of cleanliness and environmental well-being. The Jan Aandolan for cleanliness started by the Prime Minister has also reduced healthcare burden on our country. One of the most important outcomes of the Swachh Bharat Mission is the reduction in the groundwater contamination due to human wastage which has reduced 12.7 times in the last 10 years.

Sarabjit Singh Sandhu, who participated in the Swachhata Abhiyan, said, "It has been 10 years since the Swachhta Abhiyan started and its meaningful results are there for everybody to see today. Around 90 per cent of the people of the country have become aware about the importance of cleanliness and proper sanitation. In the next 6 years, the STP plants started by Prime Minister Modi will remove the pollution of the sea and the water will also be clean. Today, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, people from all communities have joined this campaign organized by the Indian Minority Foundation."

Satinder Singh Sablok, who is associated with Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, said, "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan provides an opportunity for every individual to contribute to a cleaner and healthier India thereby fostering a sense of unity and shared responsibility. The efforts of countless volunteers working together to keep our streets, parks and communities clean are truly commendable. This movement is a testament to the collective spirit of our nation and as a Sikh, I am proud to be a part of such a transformative cause. By maintaining cleanliness around us, we are not only respecting the earth, but also ensuring a better future for generations to come."

The Cleanliness drive was a successful and heartwarming initiative by IMF which not only made the city cleaner and better but also brought people and leaders from all the religions together on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

About Indian Minorities Foundation

India Minorities Foundation, a non- government organization under Chandigarh University, founded by Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor Chandigarh University, is committed to promote patriotism and national pride among minority groups and support to empower individuals and communities. IMF is working to promote a sense of belonging and inclusion. The main objective of IMF is to foster a sense of national pride with a sense of national pride among minority groups by highlighting their shared history, culture, and contributions to the nation, and by encouraging active participation in civic life.

About Chandigarh University

Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and an autonomous educational institution approved by UGC and is located near Chandigarh in the state of Punjab. It is the youngest university in India and the only private university in Punjab to be honoured with A+ Grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council). CU offers more than 109 UG and PG programs in the field of engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, commerce, and others. It has been awarded as The University with Best Placements by WCRC.

Website: https://www.cuchd.in

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