India launches Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 aiming managing ‘garbage’

Synopsis of the story

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, which has an outlay of Rs 1.41 lakh crore, will help India in achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday kicked off his government’s Swach Bharat Mission 2.0 for ‘rejuvenation and urban transformation’, the second phase of the nationwide cleanliness drive with a focus on making cities garbage-free and ‘water safe’.

“Goal of ‘Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0’ is to make the cities completely free of garbage,” the Prime Minister said while launching the clean India mission at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi.

Modi said addressing the gathering that the country’s target in the next phase of Mission AMRUT is, ” ‘Improving sewage and septic management, making our cities water-safe cities and ensuring that no sewage drains anywhere in our rivers,’.”

Modi said Babasaheb Ambedkar believed in urban development as a great means of removing inequality. He said the next phase of Swachh Bharat Mission and Mission Amrit was an important step towards fulfilling the dreams of Babasaheb.

Cleanliness is a great campaign for everyone

“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,” the Prime Minister further said.

Speaking about the cleanliness in the country, Modi citing data said, “In 2014, less than 20 per cent of the waste was processed. Today we are processing about 70 per cent of daily waste. Now, we have to take it to 100 per cent.’

Cleanliness: Lifestyle & Life mantra

“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, ”the Prime Minister said.

PM Svanidhi Yojana

Modi termed street vendors and hawkers as one of the most important partners of any city in the program related to urban development. “PM Svanidhi Yojana has come as a new ray of hope for these people. More than 46 street vendors have availed benefits under Svanidhi scheme and 25 lakh people have received 2.5 thousand crore rupees,” he said.