New Delhi:
Everyone will have to come together to ensure the complete success of 'Swachh' India mission declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today said in Delhi.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs said despite a national campaign running for the last fifteen months, much needs to be done and the habit of keeping clean our surroundings has to be made a way of life.
"Lakhs of toilets have been made under the Swachh Bharat campaign after Prime Minister gave a call and urged countrymen to participate in this mission (on August 15 last year) but in order to ensure full success to this drive all of us will have to undertake more efforts and with a force," Mr Rijiju said after flagging off a BSF cleanliness expedition to the Himalayas and river Ganga.
The minister said even he had to make hard efforts to ensure neat and tidy corridors at his North block office in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Mr Rijiju said when he asked why the South Block looked "more cleaner" than the North block, he was told footfalls and population was the reason.
"I think this is just an excuse and ensuring cleanliness has to be a mindset and has to be a way of life as prevalent in foreign countries," he said.
He complimented the Border Security Force (BSF) for undertaking the clean Himalaya and Ganga mission as he called the mountain ranges an icon of faith and religion for the countrymen.
Mr Rijiju said the BSF troops, during their 45-day long expedition on road, mountains and water, will help in spreading the message of Clean Indian mission and will also educate people to keep "mother Ganga" clean.
The 60-member expedition team will cycle, trek and raft about 1,000 km distance through various north Indian states before they end their voyage in Delhi on the 50th Raising Day of the BSF in December.