While launching the Swachh Bharat Mission at Rajpath in New Delhi on 2nd October 2014, Shri Narendra Modi, the Honourable Prime Minister of India said, “A clean India would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019”.
This gave birth to the Swachh Bharat Mission that was launched throughout the length and breadth of the country as a national movement on 2nd October. While leading the mass movement for cleanliness, the Prime Minister exhorted people to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean and hygienic India. Mahatma Gandhi had once said that Sanitation is more important than independence. Cleanliness and sanitation were an integral part of the Gandhian way of living. His dream was Total Sanitation for all.
Responding to the call of the Prime Minister of India, the employees of POWERGRID, led by Chairman & Managing Director, Mr I. S. Jha in February 2016 pledged to devote 55,000 man-hours towards Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. The main objective of the Abhiyaan was to inspire and motivate the general public to keep their surroundings clean. Powergrid employees and their family members reached out to the local communities by cleaning schools, hospitals, labour camps, roads, ponds and other public areas near establishments of Powergrid across the country. The message of importance and benefits of cleanliness was spread through Motivational Talks/Nukkad Nataks/Awareness Campaigns, etc.
The employees also associated local leaders, local administration, teachers, students and general public in cleaning their areas. Special concerted efforts were made during “Swachhta Pakhwada” from 1st May to 15th May 2016 during which, in addition to the cleanliness drives, Debates, Painting Competitions, Swachhta Talks, Health talks, Plays were also held, across the country.
So far, more than 55,000 man-hours have been contributed by the Powergrid employees under this Abhiyaan and towards making the dream of Gandhi a reality.
The Swachhta Pakhwada culminated on 15th May’ 2016, i.e. the World Family Day, by holding “Health Camps & Swachhta Talks” at 95 locations in the vicinity of POWERGRID establishments across the country. More than 26,000 villagers were benefited by this program.
As a matter of fact, Powergrid has gained top position among all the participants on Swachh Bharat Mission website of the Government of India: https://swachhbharat.mygov.in/
