Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Clean India’ dream put away in cold storage, says Giriraj Singh

Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean India was put away in “cold storage” and his policies buried, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said on Wednesday.

“Gandhi’s dreams were put away in cold storage and side-lined. Gandhi’s dream was of a swachha Bharat (clean India). Gandhi’s policies were buried,” Union MSME Minister Giriraj Singh said, addressing the Swachhata Awards function in the national capital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, started in 2014, is changing the world’s view of India, Singh said.

Also addressing the event, Akshay Raut, Director General, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, said with the launch of Swachh Bharat mission, India’s sanitation coverage has risen to 87 per cent from 38 per cent earlier.

“402 districts have become open defecation free including four lakh villages because this is not a toilet construction programme but in fact the world’s biggest transformation programme which touches over 1.3 billion people,” Raut said.

Industrial clusters, industry associations and field offices of National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC), Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), DC(MSME), Coir Board were felicitated for their contribution to Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.

(With inputs from agencies)