Wielding the broom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the country's biggest-ever cleanliness drive that is expected to cost nearly Rs 2 lakh crore, asserting that the "Swachh Bharat" mission is "beyond politics" and inspired by patriotism.
Debunking criticism that his government has been taking credit for every achievement, the Prime Minister acknolwedged the efforts of all previous governments to make India clean
"I am not talking politics...This is beyond politics. This is inspired my patriotism not politcs. We do not have to do with an eye on politics...I say that with a clean heart... If we paint this again with a brush of politics, we will again do a disservice to mother India.
"All the governments in this country have made one or the other effort to do this work. Several political, social and cultural organizations have made efforts in this direction. I greet all those, who have worked,"Modi said in his 25-minute address at Rajpath, where he formally kicked off the five-year-long campaign that will cover 4,041 statutory towns.
Administering a pledge to people to make India clean, he said that this task is not the responsibility only of safai karamcharis or the government but of all the 125 crore Indians.
He said that today's campaign should not be seen as a mere
photo opportunity.
In an event marked by fervour and symbolism, the Prime Minister earlier wielded a broom and swept pavement in Valmiki Basti, a colony of sanitation workers here.
The Prime Minister said that he is aware that the criticism of this programme will begin in just a few days but said he is prepared for this exuding confidence that the countrymen will not let him down.
The urban component of the Mission is proposed to be implemented over 5 years starting from October 2, 2014 in all 4,041 statutory towns.
While the Urban Development Ministry will allocate Rs 62,000 crore for cleaning towns across the country, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation will spend Rs 1 lakh 34 thousand crores for the programme.
The Cabinet had last month decided to merge the 'Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan', a campaign for rural sanitation with Swachh Bharat Mission.
