Shinde, Fadnavis take part in cleanliness drive event

In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “one hour of shramdaan (voluntary labor) for swachhata” on October 1, as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy through cleanliness, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, led a cleanliness campaign at Girgaon Chowpatty in Mumbai.
Fadnavis took the opportunity to announce that the Maharashtra government had already issued an order allocating 3% of District Planning Development Committee funds for the year-round restoration, repair, maintenance, and cleanliness of forts.
The call for the mega cleanliness drive originated from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 105th episode of ‘Mann ki Baat,’ urging citizens from all walks of life to actively participate in cleaning activities at public places, including markets, railway tracks, water bodies, tourist sites, places of worship, and more, under the slogan ‘Ek Tareekh Ek Ghanta Ek Saath’ on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
A sweeping cleanliness campaign unfolded across approximately 73,000 locations in Maharashtra, garnering the participation of citizens, students, volunteers, and key dignitaries, including Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Urban and rural areas alike embraced the initiative, with 14,500 locations hosting campaigns in urban centers and over 58,000 places in rural areas. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde commended the state’s commitment to this effort, surpassing the initial target of 13,324 urban sites by organizing a cleanliness drive at 14,500 locations. Shinde emphasized the need for continuous year-round cleanliness efforts, extending beyond populated areas to encompass forts and religious sites. Students from 418 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) actively participated in these campaigns and are set to engage in fort cleanliness initiatives. In addition to the widespread citizen engagement, the Central Bureau of Communication conducted cleanliness efforts at six sites. The Joint Controller of Communication Accounts also arranged a PadYatra and cleanliness drive in Mumbai.
Prominent figures, including cricket legend Dilip Vengsarkar, actors Padmini Kolhapure, Juhi Chawla, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Subodh Bhave, and Consul of Israel in Mumbai Kobbi Shoshani, as well as officials from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, lent their support to the extensive cleanliness drive.