New Delhi: The Ministry of Women & Child Development is observing the Swachhta Pakhwada from 1st March 2017 to 15th March 2017, to raise awareness about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan among women and children. The Swachhta Pakhwada is observed by various Ministries of Government of India to achieve the goal of universal sanitation, hygiene and ‘open defecation free’ India by 2019.
As a part of nationwide activities, the Ministry has written to all the states to observe the Swachhta Pakhwada through the wide network of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) across the country. The states have been asked to carry out the following activities at the AWCs:
I. White-washing AWCs involving local communities;
II. Pictures, local logos on walls by local people free of cost;
III. Cleanliness in and around AWCs;
IV. Weeding out of obsolete records etc;
V. Divyang access to toilets may be reviewed;
VI. Review of toilets constructed;
VII. Involving private sector under CSR for Swachhta;
VIII. Sketch competition, etc;
IX. Swachhta drive in and around AWCs on the banks of rivers;
X. Celebrating International Women’s Day on 8th March, 2017.
Senior officials from the Ministry and associated organisations will be travelling across the country on these days and undertaking activities such as Swachhta Pledge, slogan writing and poster making competition, street play and film screening on Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, demonstration and sessions on health, hygiene and sanitation for children, waste management etc. Cleanliness activities and pledges on Swachh Bharat will also be undertaken at the WCD Ministry in Delhi and its associated organisations such as CARA, CSWB, NCPCR, NCW and RMK.
Joint Secretary for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao will be leading specialised programmes in Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Districts with activities for girl children on the theme of Swachh Bharat. Health and sanitation needs of girl children will be highlighted. Demonstrations will be held on how to prepare nutritious recipes using indigenous ingredients and hygienic cooking behaviour and practices. Tree plantation drives will also be carried out with participation of girl children.
In her message, the Minister of Women and Child Development has said,”Women have a pivotal role to play in ensuring a Swachh Bharat. Children must inculcate the habit of cleanliness from their very formative years. This will lead to a healthy mind in a healthy body. By observing the Swachhta Pakhwada, we want to educate both women and children across the nation to understand the importance of cleanliness and develop lifelong attitudes to keep themselves and their surroundings clean.”
Senior officials will be leading visits to childcare institutions and creches and will hold sessions on proper cleaning of toys, health and hygiene, food habits and safety. Visits will also be made to One Stop Centres, Swadhar Grehs and Ujjawala Homes to check the cleanliness of premises and conduct sessions on life skill education for adolescents and film screenings, slogan writing and pledge on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
The officials will cover all corners of the country, travelling to Haryana, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Tripura, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala as well as conducting activities in New Delhi. They will be posting regular updates with photographs on the MyGov Swacchta Samiksha Portal at http://sbm.gov.in/SwachhSamiksha/index.aspx.
