Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Launches Swachhta Pakhwada-2024

New Delhi: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas kicked off the Swachhta Pakhwada-2024 with an opening ceremony at Shastri Bhawan today. The event marked a significant push towards cleanliness and hygiene under the larger Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiative.

Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, administered the Swachhta Pledge to all senior officers and staff of the Ministry, emphasizing the commitment to cleanliness practices. The ceremony also featured Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, and Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

In his address, Puri highlighted the importance of Swachhta Pakhwada as a crucial part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, calling it the most transformative campaign under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He pointed out the shift in public mindset regarding cleanliness and hygiene, which the campaign has successfully brought about.

The Minister underscored the Ministry’s dedication to promoting cleanliness across all departments, with active participation from Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and associated offices. Reflecting on the previous year’s Swachhta Pakhwada achievements, Shri Puri mentioned various activities, including the construction of sanitation facilities, installation of hygiene infrastructure, and cleanliness drives in public spaces and offices.

“Last year we carried out a range of activities under the ‘Swachhta Pakhwada’ between 1 July and 15 July 2023 to demonstrate our commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6),” he said.

Celebrating the success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Puri noted the construction of almost 12 crore toilets across rural and urban India, significant improvements in solid waste management, and overall health and hygiene practices. He highlighted the impressive 77% achievement in urban solid waste management, a stark contrast to its non-existent status at the mission’s inception. “According to the UN, households saved up to Rs. 50,000 because of better health and hygiene practices,” he added.

The Minister also stressed the ongoing need for commitment to cleanliness, focusing on making cities garbage-free and remediating all legacy dumpsites through the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0).