President Murmu Graces Safai Mitra Sammelan in Ujjain

President Droupadi Murmu attended the Safai Mitra Sammelan in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.The Safai Mitra Sammelan was organized as part of the fortnightly Swachhata Hi Seva—2024 campaign launched by the government of India.

Aim

This year’s campaign focuses on facilitating and honoring sanitation workers – Safai Mitra’s contribution to the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Remarks by President

1. Role of Safai Mitra

• The President said that our Safai Mitras are the front-line sanitation warriors.
• They protect us from diseases, dirt, and health risks.
• They are playing a very important role in nation-building.
• The biggest credit for our achievements in the field of cleanliness at the local, state, and the national level goes to our Safai Mitras.

2. Improve conditions of Safai Mitra

• Ensuring the safety, dignity, and welfare of Safai Mitras is an important responsibility of the government and society.
• Arrangements are being made to eliminate man-holes and clean them through machine-holes.
• Efforts are being made to benefit Safai Mitras under various welfare schemes of the central and state governments.
• Health check-up facilities are also being provided to them through Safai Mitra Suraksha Camps.

3. On 2nd Phase of SBM

• During the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), which will continue till the year 2025, we have to achieve the goal of total cleanliness.
• National targets have to be achieved in solid and liquid waste management while maintaining the status of being ‘free from open defecation’.

4. Message

• A campaign to spread the message of ‘Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskar Swachhata’ is in progress throughout the country.
• People are taking a pledge to serve Mother India by removing dirt and litter.
• She expressed confidence that all citizens will come forward to promote the Swachh Bharat Mission in every village and every street and to do Shramdaan for this campaign.

Duration and Theme of the  ‘Swachhata Hi Seva – 2024 Campaign

• The Swachhata Hi Seva—2024 campaign will run from 17 September to 2 October 2024.
• The theme of this year’s Swachhata Hi Seva – 2024 campaign is ‘Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata’.
• The campaign aims to generate widespread awareness and public participation in the cleanliness drive.

Swachh Bharat Mission

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Swachh Bharat Mission in his Independence Day speech on 15 August 2014. It was launched nationwide on 2 October 2014 on the occasion of  Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.
• The Swachh Bharat Mission has two components : Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin and Swachh Bharat Mission Urban.