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In the last four years, Swachhata has become a mass movement: PM Modi

Published By : Admin | September 15, 2018 | 11:29 IST
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I welcome and congratulate all the 'Swachhagrahis' from the bottom of my heart, who have come from different corners of the country. This day, 15th September, is pretty historic in itself. It is historic because this morning has brought a new determination, enthusiasm and hope. Today you, me and the 125 crore Indians are about to reiterate the resolution of 'Swachhta Hi Seva' or 'Cleanliness is indeed service'. All of us will perform 'shramdaan' and make our contribution with a new zeal and enthusiasm to keep India clean, beginning from today up to 2nd October which is the birth anniversary of Respected Bapuji.

We have seen that even though houses are not properly cleaned up on other days, efforts are made to clean every corner of the house right before the festival of Diwali. Similarly, we should also strive to clean every corner of the country and this behavior must persist for every month and every year.

The cleanliness campaign or the movement that had started four years ago has now reached a crucial stage. I can proudly claim that every section of the nation, every sect, every caste,my friends of different age groups are pushing this great campaign forward. Not a single village, street or city is untouched by this movement.

India's coverage of cleanliness in 2014 was just 40%. It has increased to more than 90% as a result of your hard work and determination. Perhaps no one would have thought that we could make such strides in coverage of cleaning in just four years; something that couldn't be done in the last 60-65 years. Would anyone have ever thought that nearly 9 crore toilets could be built in India in the last four years? Had anyone ever imagined that approximately 4.5 lakh villages would become Open Defecation Free in the last four years? Had anyone ever thought that more than 450 districts would be Open Defecation Free in the last four years? Had anyone ever thought that 20 states and Union Territories would become Open Defecation Free in the last four years?

This is the strength of India and the Indians, the Swachhagrahis. The government alone cannot bring about a transformation to such an extent. Cleanliness is playing a crucial role in improving the lives of the people in terms of both health and wealth.

According to one of the estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO), cleanliness will play a significant role in saving the lives of 3 lakh people and accordingly to a study, cleanliness will reduce the instances of Diarhhoea by 30%.

However brothers and sisters, merely constructing toilets will not ensure cleanliness of India. Providing facilities such as toilets, dustbins and garbage disposal is just a medium. Cleanliness is a habit that needs to be inculcated. This is a Yajna of behavioral change in which every citizen of the country is making his/her positive contribution.

I am putting efforts to listen to your experiences related to 'Swachh Bharat Mission', learn from you and then all of us together will perform 'shramdaan'. Today we will get the opportunity to visit every corner of the country. We will also get the opportunity to know about the ongoing efforts there.

Once again I would like to tell my countrymen that the dedication, contribution, experience and cooperation of Swachhagrahis is commendable! The way the country's noted personalities have participated in this movement, allotted 2 hours of their day for this purpose and shared their experiences, depicts the manner in which the country's 125 crore Indians have projected this movement in front of the entire world.

In the future, whenever anything is read or written about this movement, the names of all the Swachhagrahis will be inscribed in Golden letters. I believe that just as the martyrs of the freedom struggle are respected and honored today, your contribution will also be remembered with the same respect and honor; you will be viewed as true heirs of Respected Bapu. This is because you have become a warrior of nation building, a savior of the poor and the weak and the credit of establishing the country's pride in front of the world also goes to you. The strength of the 125 crore Indians is unbridled and limitless. Our enthusiasm is on the rise. Our belief is at its peak. Our resolutions are ready for accomplishment and you all are ready to perform 'shramdaan'. My best wishes to you all. I bid my farewell to you as even I have to join you somewhere for 'Shramdaan'.

I once again congratulate you all from the bottom of my heart for your inspiration and hard work. I end my speech by saluting all the great personalities. Thanks a lot!

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On the occasion of National Youth Day, PM to participate in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 on 12th January
January 10, 2025
PM to interact with 3000 young leaders selected through a merit-based, multi-level selection process from over 30 lakh participants
Young leaders to make presentations to PM, reflecting innovative ideas and solutions to address some of India's most pressing challenges
In a unique initiative, youth to get an opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, and aspirations directly to PM during lunch

On the occasion of National Youth Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 on 12th January, at around 10 AM, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. He will engage with 3,000 dynamic young leaders from across India. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.

The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue aims to break the 25 year old tradition of holding the National Youth Festival in a conventional manner. It aligns with the Prime Minister's Independence Day call to engage 1 lakh youth in politics without political affiliations and provide them a national platform to make their ideas for Viksit Bharat, a reality. In line with this, on this National Youth Day, Prime Minister will participate in multiple activities designed to inspire, motivate, and empower the nation's future leaders. Innovative young leaders will make ten powerpoint presentations representing the ten thematic areas pivotal to India’s development before the Prime Minister. These presentations reflect the innovative ideas and solutions proposed by young leaders to address some of India's most pressing challenges.

Prime Minister will also release a compilation of best essays written by participants on the ten themes. These themes encompass diverse areas such as technology, sustainability, women empowerment, manufacturing, and agriculture.

In a unique setting, Prime Minister will join the young leaders for lunch, providing them an opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, and aspirations directly to him. This personal interaction will bridge the gap between governance and youth aspirations, fostering a deeper sense of ownership and responsibility among the participants.

During the Dialogue, which is starting from 11th January, the young leaders will engage in competitions, activities, and cultural and thematic presentations. It will also include deliberations on the themes led by mentors and domain experts. It will also witness cultural performances showcasing India's artistic heritage while symbolizing its modern advancements.

The 3,000 dynamic and motivated youth have been selected to participate in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, through the Viksit Bharat Challenge, a meticulously crafted, merit-based multi level selection process to identify and showcase the most motivated and dynamic young voices from across the nation. It included three stages with participants ranging from 15 - 29 years. The first stage, Viksit Bharat Quiz, was conducted in 12 languages for youth from all states to take part, and saw participation of around 30 lakh young minds. Qualified quiz participants progressed to the 2nd stage, essay round, where they articulated their ideas on ten pivotal themes critical to realizing the vision of a "Viksit Bharat", which saw over 2 lakh essays being submitted. In the 3rd stage, State Rounds, 25 candidates per theme advanced to participate in rigorous in-person competitions. Each state identified its top three participants from each track, forming dynamic teams for the national event in Delhi.

1,500 participants from the Viksit Bharat Challenge Track, representing the top 500 teams from State Championships; 1,000 participants from the Traditional Track, chosen through state-level youth festivals, cultural programs, and exhibitions on innovation in science and technology; and 500 Pathbreakers, invited for their groundbreaking contributions in different areas will be participating in the Dialogue.