Indore, MP, June 23 (UNI) Landing hard punches on his detractors for mocking the ambitious Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that change of thought process is a precursor to bringing a change in individual, society and country.
Mr Modi made the statement while addressing a public meeting following the distribution of awards under the Swachh Sarveskshan 2018 and the inauguration of various projects.
“It is the result of this change in attitude towards cleanliness that all of us are gathered here. Those who think that change cannot happen, those who ridicule Swachh Bharat, Indore has shown them what it means to change,” he said.
Holding previous Congress regimes responsible for inadequate development of urban infrastructure, the Premier said, “Villages are soul of the country but towns and cities are its power centre. A huge chunk of population migrates towards towns and cities in search of education and employment. Most of middle class section live in towns.”
“No attention was paid to towns and cities after Independence. Though population increased, civic infrastructure was not developed accordingly. Thus, scarcity of drinking water, mismanagement in electricity sector, leaking sewage system, traffic jams and mounds of garbage became the identity of our towns and cities under Congress-ruled dispensations,” he alleged.
Mr Modi said that the Centre took the responsibility to develop urban infrastructure in accordance to 21st century. Infrastructure development of more than Rs 2.30 lakh crore has been approved in four years as compared to that of Rs 95,000 cr spent in 10 years of the previous United Progressive Alliance Government.
Pointing out that a competitive spirit towards cleanliness got fostered among cities since ranking system began three years ago, he said that people's participation has constantly increased in the process.
Mentioning that nearly 2,300 towns – in 18 states – have become open defecation free, the Premier said that Mahatma Gandhi's dream of Swachh Bharat is not far and would be accomplished on his 150th birth anniversary
next year.
Earlier, the Premier felicitated the winners of cleanliness survey - Swachh Sarvekshan 2018 and gave away awards to the representatives of Indore, Bhopal and Chandigarh – the cities that secured top three positions.
On the occasion, he unveiled various projects in 16 towns through remote and interacted with beneficiaries. Besides, he inaugurated 378 other projects online.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the state's Urban Development and Housing Minister Maya Singh were present.
UNI Team-PS