(Image source from: narendramodi.in)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in Swachh Shakti 2019, a convention of women sarpanches and presented the Swachh shakti 2019 awards in kurukshetra, Harayana.

He also visited Swachh Sundar Shauchalay exhibition in kurukshetra

He addressed a public gathering where PM stressed that only empowered women can create an empowered society and a strong nation.

He spoke how Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Ujjwala Yojana, National Nutrition Mission, Prime Minister's Safe Maternity Campaign extending maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks and the ownership of houses first to the women under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have played a key role in empowering the women.

He added, “We are the first government to impose death penalty for rapes.”

He said that “approximately 75% of the loans under MUDRA are given to female entrepreneurs. About 6 crore women have joined the self-help groups under the Din Dayal Antayoday scheme and more than Rs. 75000 crore of loans have been provided to such self-help groups. This amount is 2.5 times more than what was allocated in four years preceding 2014.”

PM Modi said “the constant struggle of our mothers and daughters because of lack of hygienic toilets have stirred me. And I took a pledge of Swacch Bharat from the ramparts of Red Fort. In about 70 years of independence, the scope of hygiene was nearly 40%. It has reached 98% today. More than 10 crore restrooms have been created in the 4 and half years. 5 lakh villages in 600 districts have freed themselves from defecation in open. This has given them a dignified life.”

Swachh Shakti-2019 is a national event which aims to bring in to focus the leadership role played by rural women in Swachh Bharat Mission.

Women Sarpanches and Panches from all over the country will be attending the event. Around 15,000 women are expected to participate in this year’s Swachh Shakti event aimed at empowering the women.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in association with the Govt. of Haryana is organizing the Swachh Shakti-2019. Best practices from grass root level in the rural areas for Swachh Bharat will be shared by them. The event will showcase the achievements of Swachh Bharat and the recently conducted Swachh Sunder Shauchalay, (neat and clean toilet) - a unique and first of its kind in the world campaign.   

Background:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Shakti program first in 2017 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. 6000 women sarpanches from across the country had assembled in Gujarat on the occasion of International Women’s Day under the banner of Swachh Shakti 2017. PM addressed and honoured them.

The second Swachh Shakti event, Swachh Shakti-2018 was held at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. 8000 women sarpanches, 3000 women Swachhagrahis and women champions from other walks of life from across the country were recognized for their outstanding contribution towards making a Swachh Bharat during the event.

Now it is the third edition is being inaugurated from Kurukshetra.

Swachh Shakti is an example of how at the grass root level, rural women champions are acting as a change agent to mobilize the community and lead from the front women taking initiatives for a Swachh Bharat. The movement is a part of ongoing activities under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched on October 2nd, 2014, by the Prime MinisterNarendra Modiaimed at achieving a Clean and Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by 2nd October, 2019.

-Sai Kumar