New Delhi, 03 October 2023.

Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar participated in the “Swachhata Hi Seva” campaign at New Delhi’s Safdarjung Railway Station on Sunday October 1, 2023 marking the ‘Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath’ Shramdaan activity . Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, MSDE with senior officials of the Ministry along with general public joined forces alongside contributing towards making of garbage free India.

As a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 154^th birth anniversary, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi called for a nationwide citizen centric movement ‘Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath that served as a clarion call for government officials and citizens to volunteer for a one-hour cleanliness drive – ‘Shramdaan for Swachhata’ – on October 1.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship lead the cleanliness drive across its ecosystem consisting of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs), National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD) and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) Guwahati and it’s other centers in north eastern region.

The cleanliness drive was conducted at Sarojini Nagar Market, Commonwealth Games Park along with Safdarjung Railway Station (track and surrounding area) and other places in New Delhi. Total of 1345 events that were created in the dedicated portal for the ‘Shramdaan for Swachhata’ drive were conducted across the institutions in the country.

The Minister along with all ministry officials, staff and members of allied divisions of MSDE dedicated one hour of his time to contribute to citizen-led 'Shramdaan for Swachhata,' aligning with the vision of achieving a ‘garbage-free India’.

Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, while interacting with the media said, “Over the past 9 years, PM Modi has worked towards much-needed initiatives to bring about a shift in our collective behaviour as citizens after decades of challenges. It's encouraging to see so many Indians enthusiastically participating and believing in this vision of Swachh Bharat Mission. This change in behaviour has proven helpful, especially during challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He also highlighted how Young Indians are the most important stakeholders of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and that they have taken the responsibility to take forward the vision of PM Modi.

“Young Indians are the biggest stakeholders of the Swachh Bharat movement. They have taken the responsibility to take forward PM Modi’s vision. From the Red Fort's ramparts, PM Modi launched this mission to transform India into Swachh Bharat. It aimed to transform our way of life, creating a deep behavioural change among all citizens. He talked about ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas Sabka Prayas,’ showcasing how Indians rallied behind his vision for a Swachh Bharat,” the minister further added.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari expressed that from the lens of skilling, ‘Swachhata’ too requires a specialized skill set. For context, if we take the example of solid waste management, it necessitates inheriting skills for segregating waste for disposal. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has been imparting training with the help of local bodies and state governments in the areas of cleanliness. The focus also has been to empower our workers with modern and advanced machinery knowledge to instill a sense of dignity in their work for better societal outcomes.