Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns home from his successful five-day visit to US. Winding up his whirlwind five-day US visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked America for what he said was a highly successful and satisfactory trip to the country.
In a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and US President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday, India and the United States vowed to push their strategic bilateral relationship to new levels.
The two leaders issued a joint statement which stated that India and the US have agreed to a new enhanced strategic partnership on energy, security, clean energy and climate change.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on Thursday on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The ambitious drive includes sweeping, removal of garbage, debris and unauthorised encroachments from the roads, markets and residential places.
The campaign is aimed at making India a clean country by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Before launching the campaign, Mr Modi will visit Rajghat to pay floral tributes to Father of the Nation.
The Prime Minister will start the campaign from Valmiki Basti in Gol Market area of New Delhi. Later, Mr Modi will address the nation from India Gate and also administer Swachh Bharat pledge. In his Independence Day speech, Mr Modi had asked people to take a pledge to make India clean.
Interestingly, Mr Modi did not lose the opportunity even in the United States to highlight the importance of cleanliness. In his address to thousands of NRIs at the Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, Mr Modi had exhorted NRIs for support to Clean India and Clean Ganga campaigns.
President Pranab Mukherjee has also urged people to turn cleanliness into a national passion and ensure cleanliness everywhere. In his message, the President called upon people to ensure hygiene, waste management and sanitation across the country to make Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a success.
AIR correspondent adds that cleanliness drive is on in Delhi and other parts of the country. About 31 lakh Central government employees working across the country, will take a pledge of cleanliness in various public functions to be organised on Thursday.
