Ahead of International Gita Mahotsav, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday launched Swachh Kurukshetra Mahasafai Abhiyan in Kurukshetra. He also flagged off the Swachhata Rath to ensure cleanliness and also signed the Swachh Kurukshetra board to emphasize the message of cleanliness.    Reaffirming his dedication to a cleaner environment and emphasizing the crucial role of cleanliness, the Chief Minister embodied the true spirit of a Swachhata Doot, when he personally participated in a cleanliness drive by picking up the broom to clean the dirt. This initiative was taken to raise awareness among citizens and transform this cleanliness campaign into a mass movement, making Haryana not just clean but a benchmark for cleanliness across states, he added. During the event, hundreds of people joined the Chief Minister for an hour-long cleanliness drive from Sheikh Chillis Tomb to OP Jindal Park, Jyotiba Phule, and Tau Devi Lal Chowk. The Chief Minister launched the campaign across 18 zones of Kurukshetra, administered a cleanliness pledge, and urged every citizen to participate in the movement. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that ensuring cleanliness and making Kurukshetra more beautiful should be the utmost priority of the officers and the residents, especially as the International Gita Mahotsav is nearing and thousands of visitors from across the globe  will be visiting the holy land. He said that Kurukshetras cleanliness and aesthetic appeal are vital to its global recognition. Saini said that a clean environment will not only eradicate diseases but also ensure a healthier population, paving the way for national progress. Haryana, he said, is on track to develop three times faster, with cleanliness as its foremost goal. Efforts are being made to address the shortage of staff in all Civic Bodies, and there will be no shortage of resources. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, 7,75,810 individual toilets and more than 6,000 community sanitation complexes have been constructed in rural areas so far, said Saini. He said that  Haryanas strides in cleanliness were noted, with 17 urban local bodies certified as Open Defecation Free (ODF), 59 as ODF Plus, and 2 as Water Plus. The state ranked 14th nationally in the Swachh Survekshan 2023 among states with fewer than 100 urban local bodies. Two waste management plants, each with a capacity of 1,200 metric tons, in Gurugram and Faridabad will be set up, which are expected to boost Haryanas ranking in cleanliness surveys, said Saini.  The Chief Minister assured that there would be no funds constraints or compromises in the mission to keep Kurukshetra clean. He emphasized strict implementation of the campaign, with close monitoring by the Deputy Commissioner to ensure no lapses.

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