India’s push for cleanliness took center stage in New Delhi on Thursday as senior officials from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti joined hands for a voluntary shramdaan drive. They cleaned up the CGO Complex to mark Swachh Bharat Diwas, which honors the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
This event caps off the Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 campaign, a nationwide effort running from September 17 to October 2. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and DDWS teamed up to spark this initiative, building on the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and turning it into a true people’s movement.
Millions of Indians have rolled up their sleeves for shramdaan—voluntary community cleanups—that echo the Jan Andolan spirit of SBM. The campaign zeroes in on Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs), those tough, grimy spots that need extra attention. States and districts across the country set bold goals to tackle these CTUs during the drive and keep them spotless long-term.
Early reports from the official Swachhata Hi Seva portal show massive turnout: Over 16 crore citizens jumped in by October 1, scrubbing nearly 14 lakh CTUs and 5 lakh public spaces. Organizers also held more than 1.5 lakh Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs to support sanitation workers and boost safety awareness.
Before the shramdaan kicked off, DDWS Secretary Ashok K K Meena led a review meeting with top officials. They discussed the campaign’s progress and celebrated its impact.
Meena stressed the need for everyone to share the load in building a cleaner, healthier India. “We must sustain the Swachh Bharat Mission’s wins by leading with action in our own backyards,” he said. He also praised the hard work from gram panchayats and district teams in states and union territories for making Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 a success.
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