Developing an attitude towards cleanliness is the only way the country will realise the dream of a ‘Swachh Bharat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

“Cleanliness can’t be achieved through Budget allocation. Behavioural change is the solution. It should become a mass movement,” Modi said in his address at the India Sanitation Conference here ahead of the second anniversary of the government’s flagship Swachh Bharat Mission.

The movement has taken roots as children are taking interest in this mission and now the public is exerting pressure on maintaining clean environments, Modi said, adding that India, however, is a unique nation where people clean their own houses when they are expecting neighbours, but make public spaces dirty.

“We will clean our scooter every day but don’t ensure cleanliness in public transport such as buses,” he added.

The public should also treat government run facilities and public spaces as its own to realise this mission, the Prime Minister stated.

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha to free us from colonial rule, he said that today there has to be Swachhagraha to make India free from dirt.

Moreover, developing the ability to create wealth from waste through recycling, composting etc will make sure cleanliness follows as a byproduct, Modi said, adding that this is also of economic value as neat areas fetch better real estate value.

The exercise of keeping areas clean also has the potential to create employment and presents an opportunity for urban local bodies to generate money, he said, urging States to create a competitive atmosphere among urban local bodies to ensure clean surroundings.

Modi also suggested that news channels and radio should dedicate some air time towards spreading this message. “We can start with Doordarshan. A bulletin can be dedicated to news related to cleanliness,” he added.

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