New Delhi: The Ministry of Culture is observing a Swachhta Pakhwada from 16th to 30th September, 2016 to spread awareness about the need and importance of cleanliness in all the domains. M/o of Culture and its various organisations have made all possible efforts for an efficient observance of the Swachhta Pakhwada. During the period Ministry has taken up various initiatives including the use of 100% e-office mechanism, setting up of permanent mechanism for cleanliness in all organisations, three Akademies to ensure activities in Music, Dance and Drama to spread awareness about Swachhta, the upcoming Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav scheduled in October to have Swachhta theme and also weeding out of files in all organisations and headquarters to be completed in this fortnight.
To step forward towards creating mindset of all officials and staff of the Ministry and its organisations, a special one day ‘Swachhta Conference’ was organised today at the National Museum, New Delhi. The Swachhta Conference was chaired by the Secretary (Culture), Shri Narendra Kumar Sinha. A presentation based on initiatives taken by ASI to implement Swachh Bharat Swachh Smarak initiative was also presented during the conference. While delivering the key address at the conference he said that “Our Sanskriti(Culture) and Swachhta(Cleanliness) are very much connected to each other. As we follow the route of devotional activities through personal cleanliness, the same we follow for the surrounding environments. Instead of making “Swachhta” an objective of a fortnight, we should rather make it a daily habit and a yearlong activity”. The conference was attended by senior officials of the Ministry and other organisations.
Various autonomous, attached and subordinated organisations under the Ministry of Culture are also undertaking a number of activities related to the Swachhta Pakhwada. Cleanliness drives are regularly being organised by these organisations in and around their respective organisations’ premises.
These organisations have already made significant contributions to mark the fortnight by administering Swachh Bharat Pledge to the officers and the staff, cleaning the Museums’ premises, organising Nukkad Natak(Street Play) with a theme of Swachh Bharat, holding various lectures and seminars with an objective of dissemination of the message of Swachh Bharat, organising a Cleaning Campaign at the Ganga Ghat, in Allahabad, development of selective areas in the organisation’s premises into vegetable garden by Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad and other such initiatives as on today.
Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sanghralaya, Bhopal under the activities of ‘Swachha Bharat’ Fortnight organized a special lecture on ‘Solid Waste Management’ and on ‘Benefit to Health due to Swachha Bharat Abhiyan’. Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCC’c) are also playing a key role in dissemination of messages on sanitation and hygiene through cultural performances. Also, National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) and their regional and district science centres are creating scientific temper about sanitation and public cleanliness.
