HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Sept 11: Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is all set to kick off its annual fortnight event, ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2024’, from September 14 to October 1, 2024. The campaign will culminate with the celebration of Swachh Bharat Diwas on October 2, 2024. In this regard, a state-level Steering Committee has been constituted for planning, implementation, monitoring, and review of various activities. The committee is chaired by Syedain Abbasi, special chief secretary to the government of Assam and commissioner & secretary, DoHUA, with the secretary PHED cum MD, JJM serving as co-convener. The committee includes high-level members from various departments, such as the principal secretary, P&RD, principal secretary for Women and Child Development, commissioner P&RD, MD SBM-G, and others.
A joint action plan for executing various activities was prepared and shared with all district commissioners in a video conference held in the conference room of the special chief secretary on Tuesday. The DCs were instructed to formulate their district-specific action plans for carrying out these activities.
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Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) are to be identified in each GP where there are waste dumps. The areas are to be cleaned and transformed to prevent future waste dumps. Additionally, sanitation workers engaged in various departments are to be identified at the block level. They will be felicitated and enrolled in different government schemes such as ‘Har Ghar Jal’ and IHHL (SBM Toilets) at Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs.
As quoted by the MD, SBM-G cum Commissioner Panchayat & Rural Development, “For a successful SHS fortnight, people’s participation is crucial in a whole-of-society approach for a cleaner and greener Assam.”
This year, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, GOI, have decided to execute ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ in convergence mode with participation from all departments, including corporate houses, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
The Prime Minister, during his speech on August 15 this year, emphasised the need for ‘inclusive participation’ from every section of society towards cleanliness. Hence, this year’s theme for Swachhata Hi Seva is ‘Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata’.
The three key pillars of this year’s Swachhata Hi Seva campaign are Swachhata Ki Bhagidaari (Public Participation, Awareness & Advocacy), Sampoorna Swachhata including Swachhata Lakshit Ekayi, and Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs (Preventive health checkups & social security coverage). A wide range of events will be organised by various departments in convergence mode. Activities under Swachhata Ki Bhagidaari include Swachhata Pledges at schools, AWCs, SHGs, public workshops at regular places like market areas and mandirs, marathons with local clubs and NGOs, cyclothons with school children and youth clubs, human chain formations with communities such as women SHGs and children, Gram Sabhas, waste-to-art events like school competitions on ‘best out of waste’, and refurbishing SBM-G assets through painting and wall writing. Additional initiatives include Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (planting saplings), SBM Sports Leagues (tournaments), door-to-door waste collection, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (RRR) activities, cultural fests showcasing local and regional art, waste-to-art installations, and the Swachh Food … Streets Initiative focusing on waste collection and vendor sensitisation. Under Sampoorna Swachhata & Swachhata Lakshit Ekayi, black spots will be identified and named as Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs), mapped on the SHS 2024 Portal, and cleaned with the help of NGOs, CSOs, and corporates. Transformed CTUs will be celebrated on Swachh Bharat Diwas, and citizen-led CTU site transformations will be encouraged, with the goal of declaring the clearance of CTUs by October 1. Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs will identify sanitation workers, link them with welfare schemes like PMAY and UJJWALA, and improve their access to social protection. The national launch of Swachhata Hi Seva will take place in New Delhi on September 14, 2024.
