Several important schemes for development of women and children are being implemented by WCD Ministry

Several important schemes for development of women and children are being implemented by WCD Ministry
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The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing various schemes/programmes for empowerment of women and development of children across the country. The details of those schemes are as follows:

For Women empowerment:

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP), a comprehensive programme is being implemented to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of women over a life-cycle continuum.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), {erstwhile Maternity Benefit Programme} has been contributing towards better enabling environment by providing cash incentives for improved health and nutrition to pregnant and nursing mothers.
Scheme for Adolescent Girls aims at girls in the age group 11-18, to empower and improve their social status through nutrition, life skills, home skills and vocational training.

Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra scheme, promote community participation through involvement of Student Volunteers for empowerment of rural women.

National Creche Scheme to provide day care facilities to children of age group of 6 months to 6 years of working women who are employed.

Rastriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) to provide micro-credit to poor women for various livelihood support and income generating activities at concessional terms in a client-friendly procedure to bring about their socio-economic development.
Swadhar Greh to provide relief and rehabilitation to destitute women and women in distress.

Ujjawala, a Comprehensive Scheme for prevention of trafficking and for rescue, rehabilitation, re-integration and repatriation of victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.

Working Women Hostels for ensuring safe accommodation for women working away from their place of residence. Under this scheme, 2 new proposals have been received and 2 sanctioned in Himachal Pradesh during last three years.

Schemes of One Stop Centre (OSC) and Women Helpline (WH) are being implemented to facilitate access to an integrated range of services including medical aid, police assistance, legal aid/ case management, psychosocial counseling and temporary support services to women affected by violence.

Gender Budgeting Scheme is being implemented as a tool for mainstreaming gender perspective at various stages of planning, budgeting, implementation, impact assessment and revisiting of policy/programme objectives and allocations. The Scheme helps in strengthening of institutional mechanisms and training of various stakeholders so as to mainstream gender concerns in Central and State Governments.
For Child Development

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is being implemented through States/UTs with the aim of holistic development of children upto 6 years of age and to meet nutritional needs of pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) (now Child protection Services) is being implemented through the State Government/UT Administrations to create a safe and secure environment for overall development of children in need of care and protection in urban and semi-urban areas.

National Nutrition Mission (NNM): The Government of India has approved setting up of National Nutrition Mission (NNM) commencing from 2017-18. The NNM, as an apex body, will monitor, supervise, fix targets and guide the nutrition related interventions across the Ministries. The programme through the targets will strive to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth weight babies.

राजनीतिः असम क्यों सुलग रहा है

राजनीतिः असम क्यों सुलग रहा है
बांग्लादेश को छूती हमारी जमीनी और जल-सीमा लगभग खुली पड़ी है। इसका फायदा उठाकर बांग्लादेश के लोग बेखौफ यहां आते रहे हैं। विडंबना यह है कि हमारी अदालत किसी व्यक्ति को गैरकानूनी बांग्लादेशी घोषित कर देती है, लेकिन बांग्लादेश की सरकार यह कहकर उसे वापस लेने से इनकार कर देती है कि भारत के साथ उसका इस तरह का कोई द्विपक्षीय समझौता नहीं है।
बहुप्रतीक्षित राष्ट्रीय नागरिक पंजी यानी एनआरसी का पहला प्रारूप आते ही सीमावर्ती राज्य असम में तनाव बढ़ गया है। सूची में घोषित आतंकी व लंबे समय से विदेश में रहे परेश बरुआ, अरुणोदय दहोटिया के नाम तो हैं लेकिन दो सांसदों व कई विधायकों के नाम इसमें नहीं हैं। अपना नाम देखने के लिए केंद्रों पर भीड़ है, तो वेबसाइट ठप हो गई। इस बीच सिलचर में एक व्यक्ति ने अपना नाम न होने के कारण आत्महत्या कर ली। हजारों मामले ऐसे हैं जहां परिवार के आधे लोगों को तो नागरिक माना गया और आधों को नहीं।
हालांकि प्रशासन कह रहा है कि यह पहला प्रारूप है और उसके बाद भी सूचियां आएंगी। फिर भी कोई दिक्कत हो तो प्राधिकरण में अपील की जा सकती है। यह सच है कि यह दुनिया का अपने आप में ऐसा पहला प्रयोग है जब साढ़े तीन करोड़ से अधिक लोगों की नागरिकता की जांच की जा रही है। लेकिन इसको लेकर कई दिनों से राज्य के सभी कामकाज ठप हैं। पूरे राज्य में सेना लगा दी गई है।
असम समझौते के पूरे अड़तीस साल बाद वहां से अवैध बांग्लादेशियों को निकालने की जो कवायद शुरू हुई, उसमें राज्य सरकार ने सांप्रदायिक तड़का दे दिया, जिससे भय, आशंकाओं और अविश्वास का माहौल है। असम के मूल निवासियों की कई दशकों से मांग है कि बांग्लादेश से अवैध तरीके से घुसपैठ कर आए लोगों की पहचान कर उन्हें वापस भेजा जाए। इस मांग को लेकर आॅल असम स्टूडेंट्स यूनियन (आसू) की अगुआई में 1979 में एक अहिंसक आंदोलन शुरू हुआ था। आंदोलनकारियों पर पुलिसिया कार्रवाई के बाद हालात और बिगड़े। 1983 में हुए चुनावों का इस आंदोलन के नेताओं ने विरोध किया था।

चुनाव के बाद जमकर हिंसा शुरू हो गई। इस हिंसा का अंत तत्कालीन केंद्र सरकार के साथ 15 अगस्त 1985 को हुए एक समझौते (जिसे असम समझौता कहा जाता है) के साथ हुआ। इस समझौते के अनुसार, जनवरी 1966 से मार्च 1971 के बीच प्रदेश में आए लोगों को यहां रहने की इजाजत तो थी, लेकिन उन्हें आगामी दस साल तक वोट देने का अधिकार नहीं था। समझौते में केंद्र सरकार ने यह भी स्वीकार किया था कि 1971 के बाद राज्य में घुसे बांग्लादेशियों को वापस अपने देश जाना होगा। इसके बाद असम गण परिषद (जिसका गठन आसू के नेताओं ने किया था) की सरकार भी बनी। लेकिन इस समझौते को पूरे अड़तीस साल बीत गए हैं और बांग्लादेश व म्यांमा से अवैध घुसपैठ जारी है। यही नहीं, घुसपैठ करने वाले लोग बाकायदा भारतीय नागरिकता के दस्तावेज भी बनवा रहे हैं।

सन 2009 में मामला सुप्रीम कोर्ट पहुंचा था। जब सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेश पर एनआरसी बनाने का काम शुरू हुआ तो जाहिर है कि अवैध घुसपैठियों में भय तो होगा ही। लेकिन असल तनाव तब शुरू हुआ जब राज्य-शासन ने नागरिकता कानून संशोधन विधेयक विधानसभा में पेश किया। इस कानून के तहत बांग्लादेश से अवैध तरीके से आए हिंदू शरणार्थियों को नागरिकता दिए जाने का प्रावधान है। यही नहीं, घुसपैठियों की पहचान का आधार वर्ष 1971 की जगह 2014 किया जा रहा है। जाहिर है, इससे अवैध घुसपैठियों की पहचान करने का असल मकसद तो भटक ही जाएगा। हालांकि राज्य सरकार के सहयोगी दल असम गण परिषद ने इसे असम समझौते की मूल भावना के विपरीत बताते हुए सरकार से अलग होने की धमकी भी दे दी है। हिरेन गोहार्इं, हरेकृष्ण डेका, इंदीबर देउरी, अखिल गोगोई जैसे हजारों सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता भी इसके विरोध में सड़कों पर हैं, लेकिन राज्य सरकार अपने कदम पीछे खींचने को राजी नहीं है।

बांग्लादेश को छूती हमारी 170 किलोमीटर की जमीनी और 92 किमी की जल-सीमा लगभग खुली पड़ी है। इसका फायदा उठाकर बांग्लादेश के लोग बेखौफ यहां आते रहे हैं, बस जाते रहे हैं। विडंबना यह है कि हमारी अदालत किसी व्यक्ति को गैरकानूनी बांग्लादेशी घोषित कर देती है, लेकिन बांग्लादेश की सरकार यह कहकर उसे वापस लेने से इनकार कर देती है कि भारत के साथ उसका इस तरह का कोई द्विपक्षीय समझौता नहीं है। असम में बाहरी घुसपैठ एक सदी से अधिक पुरानी समस्या है। सन 1901 से 1941 के बीच भारत (अविभाजित) की आबादी में वृद्धि की दर जहां 33.67 प्रतिशत थी, वहीं असम में यह दर 103.51 फीसद दर्ज की गई थी। सन 1921 में विदेशी सेना द्वारा गोलपाड़ा पर कब्जा करने के बाद ही असम के कामरूप, दरांग, शिवसागर जिलों में म्यांमा व अन्य देशों से लोगों का आना शुरू हो गया था। सन 1931 की जनगणना में साफ लिखा था कि आगामी तीस सालों में असम में केवल शिवसागर ऐसा जिला होगा, जहां बहुसंख्यक आबादी असम मूल की होगी।

असम में विदेशियों के शरणार्थी बन कर आने को दो हिस्सों में बांटा जा सकता है- 1971 की लड़ाई या बांग्लादेश बनने से पहले और उसके बाद। सरकारी आंकड़े बताते हैं कि 1951 से 1971 के बीच 37 लाख 57 हजार बांग्लादेशी, जिनमें अधिकतर मुसलमान थे, अवैध रूप से असम में घुसे व यहीं बस गए। सन 1970 के आसपास अवैध शरणार्थियों को भगाने के कुछ कदम उठाए गए तो राज्य के तैंतीत मुसलिम विधायकों ने देवकांत बरुआ की अगुआई में तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री विमल प्रसाद चालिहा के खिलाफ ही आवाज उठा दी। उसके बाद कभी किसी भी सरकार ने इतने बड़े वोट-बैंक पर टिप्पणी करने की हिम्मत नहीं जुटाई। शुरू में कहा गया कि असम में ऐसी जमीन बहुत-सी है जिस पर खेती नहीं होती है, और ये घुसपैठिये इस पर हल चला कर हमारे ही देश का भला कर रहे हैं।

लेकिन आज हालात इतने बदतर हैं कि काजीरंगा नेशनल पार्क को छूते कई सौ किलोमीटर के राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग के दोनों ओर केवल झुग्गियां दिखती हैं, जिनमें ये बिन बुलाए मेहमान डेरा डाले हुए हैं। इनके कारण राज्य में संसाधनों का टोटा तो पड़ ही रहा है, वहां की पारंपरिक संस्कृति, संगीत, लोकाचार, सभी कुछ प्रभावित हो रहा है। हालात इतने खराब हैं कि कोई आठ साल पहले राज्य के राज्यपाल व पूर्व सैन्य अधिकारी रहे ले.ज. एसके सिन्हा ने राष्ट्रपति को भेजी एक रिपोर्ट में साफ लिखा था कि राज्य में बांग्लादेशियों की इतनी बड़ी संख्या बसी है कि उसकी छानबीन करने व फिर वापस भेजने के लायक हमारे पास मशीनरी नहीं है।

एनआरसी के पहले मसौदे के कारण लोगों में बैचेनी की बानगी केवल एक जिले नवगांव के आंकड़ों से भांपी जा सकती है। यहां कुल 20,64,124 लोगों ने खुद को भारत का नागरिक बताने वाले दस्तावेज जमा किए थे। लेकिन पहली सूची में केवल 9,11,604 लोगों के नाम शामिल हैं। यानी कुल आवेदन के 55.84 प्रतिशत लोगों की नागरिकता फिलहाल संदिग्ध है। राज्य में 1.9 करोड़ लोग ही पहली सूची में हैं जबकि नागरिकता का दावा करने वाले 1.39 करोड़ लोगों के नाम नदारद हैं। ऐसी हालत कई जिलों की है। इनमें सैकड़ों लोग तो ऐसे भी हैं जो सेना या पुलिस में तीस साल नौकरी कर सेवानिवृत्त हुए, लेकिन उन्हें इस सूची में नागरिकता के काबिल नहीं माना गया। भले ही राज्य सरकार संयम रखने व अगली सूची में नाम होने का वास्ता दे रही हो, लेकिन राज्य में बेहद तनाव और अनिश्चितता का माहौल है। ऐसे में कुछ लोग अफवाहें फैला कर भी माहौल खराब कर रहे हैं।

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED),

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED), a multi-State Cooperative Society under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is promoting and marketing tribal products, tribal art and crafts within the country and abroad by providing marketing support to tribal products through its network of 31 retail outlets “TRIBES INDIA”, 37 consignment outlets of various State Emporia and 16 franchisee outlets. It also organizes exhibitions like National Tribal Craft Expo called “Aadi Mahotsav” etc. in which it promotes and markets tribal products. It also facilitates the participation of tribal artisans to enable them to interact directly with art lovers to assess the market needs. In the last three years, it has begun providing e-commerce platforms to the tribal artisans to sell their products. Towards this, TRIFED has entered into agreements with e-commerce platforms like Snapdeal and Amazon who will offer their customers various tribal products and produce through their portals www.snapdeal.com and www.amazon.com respectively to facilitate online sale. On the request of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Commerce has also made provision for sale of tribal products through TRIFED on www.gem.gov.in.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing a Central Sector Scheme ‘Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), under which financial assistance is provided to TRIs to carry out various activities to preserve and promote tribal culture and heritage across the country through research and documentation, maintenance and preservation of art & artifacts, setting up of tribal museum, exchange visits for the tribals to other parts of the State, organizing tribal festivals etc. During the last three years, this Ministry has released an amount of Rs.4689.67 lakh to State Governments. In addition, Ministry of Tribal Affairs organizes annual festival showcasing Tribal culture and heritage. Participating in Republic Day functions also helps promote our rich tribal culture. Further, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has developed a web page for use as tribal repository (www.tribal.nic.in/repository) in which documents, folk songs, photos, videos etc. received from the State Government have been uploaded. State Governments continue to provide database of Tribes of India including their evolution, place of origin, lifestyle, eating habits, architecture, education level, traditional art, folk dances and other anthropological details for uploading on the webpage.

download what nitiayog has done in last 3 year

download what nitiayog has done in last 3 year

http://niti.gov.in/…/document_publicat…/Achievement_book.pdf

IFOS 2017 mains result

IFOS 2017 mains result
within a month .....gajab hai!!

http://www.upsc.gov.in/…/d…/files/IFS_Main_2017_WR_Eng_F.pdf

Year End Review-2017: Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

Swachh Bharat Mission

To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on access to safe sanitation, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) on 2nd October, 2014, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi . SBM aims at achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) nation and a Swachh Bharat by 2nd Oct, 2019 thereby paying a befitting tribute on his150th anniversary.

Behavior change is the primary focus and fundamental tool for achievement of ODF outcomes. The Ministry is doing it by its focused Information, Education and Communication (IEC) programme. It promotes gender sensitive information, behavior change guidelines and various mass education activities. The Ministry issued gender guidelines in 2017 and Menstrual Management Guidelines on 2015.

Sanitation Coverage at the launch of SBM(G) on 2nd Oct, 2014 was 38.70%. This has increased to 74.15% as on 18th Dec, 2017.

SBM (G) Milestones
568.15 IHHLs built (in Lakh) since 2ndOct 2014	35.45 % increase in sanitation coverage since  2ndOct 2014
255 No. of ODF Districts Self Declared	4470 ODF villages in Namami Gange
8 ODF States/UTs (Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, Daman & Diu and Chandigarh)	2,92,896 No. of ODF Villages Self Declared

Swachh Bharat Mission: Making Swachhata Everyone’s Business

MDWS is mandated to convene and coordinate all activities and initiatives towards achievement of a Swachh Bharat, besides its allocated charge of SBM-Gramin. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Ministry constantly works with all other Ministries, the state governments, local institutions, NGOs, Faith organizations, media and the rest of stakeholders. This approach is based on the Prime Minister’s call that Swachhata has to be everyone’s business and not only that of sanitation departments. A host of special initiatives and projects have come out in quick time in this process. The response from all the stake-holders has been extremely encouraging.

Swachhata Pakhwada

Swachhata Pakhwada started in April 2016 with the objective of bringing a fortnight of intense focus on the issues and practices of Swachhhata by engaging Central Ministries and Departments in their jurisdiction. An annual calendar is pre-circulated among the Ministries to help them plan for the Pakhwada activities. 

NamamiGange

NamamiGange Programme is an initiative of Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR), comprising of making villages on the bank of River Ganga ODF and interventions dealing with solid and liquid waste management are being implemented by MDWS.

All 4470 villages located across 52 districts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal have been declared ODF with active help of state governments. Now the Ministry has taken up 24 villages on the bank of River Ganga to transform them as Ganga Grams in coordination with NMCG.

Swachhta Action Plan (SAP)

SAP, a first of its kind inter-ministerial programme for Swachhta, is a concrete realization of Prime Minister’s vision that Swachhta is everyone’s business. All Union Ministries/Departments have started to work for its realization in a significant manner with appropriate budget provisions. A separate budget head has been created for this by the Ministry of Finance. During the financial year 2017-18, 77 Ministries/Departments have committed funds worth Rs12468.62cr for their SAPs. SAP implementation started on 1st April 2017. 

Swachh Iconic Places (SIP)

Under the inspiration of Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Ministry has taken up a multi-stakeholder initiative focusing on cleaning up 100 places across India that are “iconic” due to their heritage, religious and/or cultural significance.

The goal of the Initiative is to improve the cleanliness conditions at these places to a distinctly higher level. This initiative is in partnership with Ministries of Urban Development, Tourism and Culture with MDWS being the nodal ministry. So far in first two phases, 20 iconic places has been taken up. All these 20 Iconic Sites have designated PSUs or corporates for financial and technical support.

Swachh Shakti, March 8, 2017

Swachh Shakti was organized on March 8th, 2017, International Women’s Day, at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the gathering on this occasion. Around 6,000 selected women sarpanches, grassroots workers from across the country attended the event, and Swachhta Champions were honoured for their outstanding contribution towards making Swachh Bharat a reality in rural India.

Freedom from Open Defecation (FOD) week (Aug 9 – Aug 15)

IEC activities like door to door IPC, Swachhata Raths, Rallies, Marathons, Felicitation of Champions, Quiz/painting competitions for Awareness generation and mass mobilization of communities across the rural hinterland was carried out for triggering Behaviour Change.

Swachh Sankalp se Swachh Siddhi Competition (Aug 17-Sep 8)

The Hon’ble Prime Minister has given the clarion call to achieve a New India by 2022 under Sankalp se Siddhi, a mass resolve to make all dirt and filth quit India. In pursuit of this vision, MoDWS organised countrywide Film, Essay and Paining Competition between 17 August and 8 September 2017 as another major step towards making Swachhta a people’s movement.

Darwaza Bandh Media Campaigns

Aiming at Behavior Change, an aggressive mass media campaign titled 'Darwaza Band' featuring Amitabh Bachchan to promote continued toilet use especially by men has been launched. The campaign includes 5 TV and Radio spots in 9 languages including Hindi and has been successfully launched on the mass media across the country.

Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS), Sep 16-Oct 2, 2017

In his Mann Ki Baat address on August 27, 2017, the Prime Minister called upon the nation to invoke a spirit of cleanliness and perform activities or SHRAMDAN and urged all NGOs, schools, colleges, social, cultural and political leaders, corporates, government officials, Collectors and sarpanches, to accelerate Swachhata activities during the Sept 15 – Oct 2, 2017 period.Prime Minister, Narendra Modi led the campaign by performing shramdan for twin pit toilet construction in Shahanshahpur village, Varanasi. He commented that “Swachhata has to become ‘Swabhav’ – it is our collective responsibility to keep our nation clean”. SHS received a huge response and saw massive mobilization of citizens including armed forces and Divyangs across the length and breadth of the country volunteering for Shramdaan towards sanitation and cleanliness through various activities.

Year End Review-2017: Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

Swachh Bharat Mission

To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on access to safe sanitation, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) on 2nd October, 2014, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi . SBM aims at achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) nation and a Swachh Bharat by 2nd Oct, 2019 thereby paying a befitting tribute on his150th anniversary.

Behavior change is the primary focus and fundamental tool for achievement of ODF outcomes. The Ministry is doing it by its focused Information, Education and Communication (IEC) programme. It promotes gender sensitive information, behavior change guidelines and various mass education activities. The Ministry issued gender guidelines in 2017 and Menstrual Management Guidelines on 2015.

Sanitation Coverage at the launch of SBM(G) on 2nd Oct, 2014 was 38.70%. This has increased to 74.15% as on 18th Dec, 2017.

SBM (G) Milestones
568.15 IHHLs built (in Lakh) since 2ndOct 2014	35.45 % increase in sanitation coverage since  2ndOct 2014
255 No. of ODF Districts Self Declared	4470 ODF villages in Namami Gange
8 ODF States/UTs (Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, Daman & Diu and Chandigarh)	2,92,896 No. of ODF Villages Self Declared

Swachh Bharat Mission: Making Swachhata Everyone’s Business

MDWS is mandated to convene and coordinate all activities and initiatives towards achievement of a Swachh Bharat, besides its allocated charge of SBM-Gramin. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Ministry constantly works with all other Ministries, the state governments, local institutions, NGOs, Faith organizations, media and the rest of stakeholders. This approach is based on the Prime Minister’s call that Swachhata has to be everyone’s business and not only that of sanitation departments. A host of special initiatives and projects have come out in quick time in this process. The response from all the stake-holders has been extremely encouraging.

Swachhata Pakhwada

Swachhata Pakhwada started in April 2016 with the objective of bringing a fortnight of intense focus on the issues and practices of Swachhhata by engaging Central Ministries and Departments in their jurisdiction. An annual calendar is pre-circulated among the Ministries to help them plan for the Pakhwada activities. 

NamamiGange

NamamiGange Programme is an initiative of Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR), comprising of making villages on the bank of River Ganga ODF and interventions dealing with solid and liquid waste management are being implemented by MDWS.

All 4470 villages located across 52 districts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal have been declared ODF with active help of state governments. Now the Ministry has taken up 24 villages on the bank of River Ganga to transform them as Ganga Grams in coordination with NMCG.

Swachhta Action Plan (SAP)

SAP, a first of its kind inter-ministerial programme for Swachhta, is a concrete realization of Prime Minister’s vision that Swachhta is everyone’s business. All Union Ministries/Departments have started to work for its realization in a significant manner with appropriate budget provisions. A separate budget head has been created for this by the Ministry of Finance. During the financial year 2017-18, 77 Ministries/Departments have committed funds worth Rs12468.62cr for their SAPs. SAP implementation started on 1st April 2017. 

Swachh Iconic Places (SIP)

Under the inspiration of Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Ministry has taken up a multi-stakeholder initiative focusing on cleaning up 100 places across India that are “iconic” due to their heritage, religious and/or cultural significance.

The goal of the Initiative is to improve the cleanliness conditions at these places to a distinctly higher level. This initiative is in partnership with Ministries of Urban Development, Tourism and Culture with MDWS being the nodal ministry. So far in first two phases, 20 iconic places has been taken up. All these 20 Iconic Sites have designated PSUs or corporates for financial and technical support.

Swachh Shakti, March 8, 2017

Swachh Shakti was organized on March 8th, 2017, International Women’s Day, at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the gathering on this occasion. Around 6,000 selected women sarpanches, grassroots workers from across the country attended the event, and Swachhta Champions were honoured for their outstanding contribution towards making Swachh Bharat a reality in rural India.

Freedom from Open Defecation (FOD) week (Aug 9 – Aug 15)

IEC activities like door to door IPC, Swachhata Raths, Rallies, Marathons, Felicitation of Champions, Quiz/painting competitions for Awareness generation and mass mobilization of communities across the rural hinterland was carried out for triggering Behaviour Change.

Swachh Sankalp se Swachh Siddhi Competition (Aug 17-Sep 8)

The Hon’ble Prime Minister has given the clarion call to achieve a New India by 2022 under Sankalp se Siddhi, a mass resolve to make all dirt and filth quit India. In pursuit of this vision, MoDWS organised countrywide Film, Essay and Paining Competition between 17 August and 8 September 2017 as another major step towards making Swachhta a people’s movement.

Darwaza Bandh Media Campaigns

Aiming at Behavior Change, an aggressive mass media campaign titled 'Darwaza Band' featuring Amitabh Bachchan to promote continued toilet use especially by men has been launched. The campaign includes 5 TV and Radio spots in 9 languages including Hindi and has been successfully launched on the mass media across the country.

Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS), Sep 16-Oct 2, 2017

In his Mann Ki Baat address on August 27, 2017, the Prime Minister called upon the nation to invoke a spirit of cleanliness and perform activities or SHRAMDAN and urged all NGOs, schools, colleges, social, cultural and political leaders, corporates, government officials, Collectors and sarpanches, to accelerate Swachhata activities during the Sept 15 – Oct 2, 2017 period.Prime Minister, Narendra Modi led the campaign by performing shramdan for twin pit toilet construction in Shahanshahpur village, Varanasi. He commented that “Swachhata has to become ‘Swabhav’ – it is our collective responsibility to keep our nation clean”. SHS received a huge response and saw massive mobilization of citizens including armed forces and Divyangs across the length and breadth of the country volunteering for Shramdaan towards sanitation and cleanliness through various activities.