Here's What Swachh Diwas Is And Why Is It Being Celebrated On October 2nd

The Swacch Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) or the Swacch Bharat Mission (SBM), a flagship scheme of the Modi-led BJP government was launched four years back in 2014. Aimed to make the country cleaner, the programme has seen participation from people across the country. It was launched on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, and PM Modi had called the campaign “Satyagraha se Swacchagraha”.

READ: Varun Dhawan And Anushka Sharma's Special Tribute To Mahatma Gandhi

Continuing the legacy, 2nd October has been declared as the ‘Swacch Diwas’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The day is intended as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophies. It aims to take the Swacch Bharat Mission forward to an international level and to make 'swacchta' a way of life globally. Addressing the audience at the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention in New Delhi on October 2, 2018, PM Modi said, “Swacchta was a priority for Gandhiji. A clean, swacch India is the best tribute we can pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019”.

The Swacch Diwas reveres the philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi, a person who led the nation to independence through his weapons of 'satyagraha' and 'ahimsa'. An awareness of the problem consequently leads to its acceptance, paving a way towards the solution. Imbibing Gandhiji’s principles of cleanliness, the day is aimed at transforming the world in bringing about awareness about the needs of proper sanitation and the importance of cleanliness or 'swacchta'.

WHAT DID 'SWACCHTA' MEAN FOR MAHATMA GANDHI?

While leading the country on its way to independence, Mahatma Gandhi had pointed out at numerous instances the need to improve the overall hygiene of the country. He was struck by the gap between personal hygiene and community hygiene. Gandhiji observed the miserable condition of the villages saying, "the lack of collective responsibility has turned our villages into dump yards".

He deterred insanitation, both of the outer environment and the inner mind. One of his famous quotes is - “Uncleanliness of the mind is more dangerous than that of the body. The latter, however, is an indication of the former.” Taking the importance of cleanliness to the level of spirituality, Gandhiji strictly followed the mantra: 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness'.

As PM Modi reiterated, Gandhiji held swacchta in high regard, so much so that he had even proclaimed that "Sanitation is more important than political independence". The ideal village for him was made from perfect sanitation, where the lavatory was as clean as the drawing room. Following the footsteps of Gandhiji, Mr Modi had even launched 'Nirmal Gujarat Abhiyan' in 2005 during his tenure as the state's Chief Minister.

WATCH: Railway Employees Pay A Special Tribute To Mahatma Gandhi On His Birth Anniversary

The Swacchta Diwas is a commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India. Since its launch, the Swacchta Abhiyan was hugely popular and turned into a national movement. It has evoked a sense of responsibility in the citizens towards cleanliness and sanitation. People from all wakes of life have come together to support PM Modi in his initiative for a cleaner India. The Swacch Bharat Mission has transformed the lives of Indians significantly. The rural cleanliness percentage is now 94 per cent as compared to the previous 38 per cent. 25 states in India (out of 29) have declared that they are free from open defecation. This has reduced diseases in the region and the subsequent expenditure on its treatment.

With the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and Swacch Diwas, PM Modi approached the root-level problems of the country, which has made a huge difference in the thinking of the masses. The movement has transformed many areas like sanitation, health and the general well-being of people. These are some of the principle tenets of Sustainable Development. Due to the efforts and effects of this movement, India is well on its way to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

PM Modi, in his address, also praised the population of India saying that he feels proud of how the country adopted the movement and made it the largest people’s movement in the world.