Lucknow: Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar held a virtual meeting with Urban Development Ministers of all states on Thursday to review preparations for the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, which will be organised from September 17 to October 17.
Uttar Pradesh Urban Development and Energy Minister A.K. Sharma participated in the meeting and said the state would organise the scheduled programmes under the campaign along with several special initiatives of its own.
Sharma announced that Uttar Pradesh will conduct a 157-hour continuous cleanliness campaign from September 25 to October 2 across all urban local bodies. The drive will cover cities and wards and include extensive sanitation, cleanliness and public awareness activities. He said maximum public participation would be encouraged so that cleanliness becomes a people’s movement rather than remaining limited to government agencies.
The minister said special programmes would be organised on September 17 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, September 25 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, and October 2 to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. October 7 will also be observed specially to mark 25 years of Modi’s public life, while the month-long campaign will conclude on October 17.
Sharma further announced a special one-hour cleanliness drive on October 1 involving the Urban Development Department, all state departments, schools, colleges, educational institutions and other organisations. Participants will clean their premises and surrounding areas while spreading awareness about sanitation.
The virtual meeting was chaired by Khattar, who directed states to ensure that the campaign is organised on a broad scale.
Secretary/Director, Urban Local Bodies, Anuj Kumar Jha, Additional Director Ritu Suhas and other senior officials were also present.
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