President Ram Nath Kovind today conferred the Swachh Bharat Awards in various categories for outstanding contribution to Swachh Bharat Mission at a special function in New Delhi. Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in Jammu and Kashmir received the Best Swachh Iconic Place award. The Shrine was selected on the basis of the overall improvement in sanitation. Ministry of Railways was given Swachh Award in the category of Swachhta Action Plan.
Swachhta Pakhwada Award was given to the Department of Defence. Power Grid Corporation received the award in the category of Public Sector Undertakings. Gujarat and Sikkim were given award for ODF and Behavior Change. Speaking on the occasion, the President said Swachh Bharat Mission has become peoples’ campaign.
He said, the biggest feature of the mission is that it has become a campaign of every Indian and not just a government campaign. He said, cleanliness is also an essential condition for the success of ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ launched by the government this year.