Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (August 8, 2020) launched “Gandagi Mukt Bharat”, a week-long campaign for ‘swachhata’ in the run-up to Independence Day.
Delivering the inaugural address at the launch of the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra here, which was also attended by students, Modi urged children to follow social distancing norms and wear masks to guard against coronavirus.
“Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has been a big support in fight against coronavirus,” he said. The week-long campaign to free India of garbage will be till August 15.
He inaugurated Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra, an interactive centre on Swachh Bharat Mission at Raj Ghat, the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. The centre will be open to the public from August 9 following the guidelines for social distancing and hygiene. “Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra is a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts towards cleanliness,” he added.
A tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra was first announced by the prime minister on April 10, 2017 to mark the centenary celebrations of Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha.
The prime minister said the week-long campaign is to “honour swaraj (self-rule), meaning ‘gandagi Bharat choro saptah’ (garbage quit India week)”, and reminded that August 8 is the anniversary of Quit India Movement.
