Swachh Bharat Diwas 2026: Union Minister C.R. Patil Calls for Cleanliness at Special Gram Sabha in Gujarat

Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, participated in a special Gram Sabha organized in Majigam village, located in the Chikhli block of Navsari district, Gujarat, on the occasion of Swachh Bharat Diwas on October 2, 2026. The event was attended by Gujarat Government Cabinet Minister Shri Naresh Patel, Joint Secretary and Mission Director of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Ms. Aishwarya Singh, the District Collector, District Development Officer, and senior officials from the state and district administrations.

During the special Gram Sabha, the Union Minister honored sanitation workers. He called for cleanliness to be transformed from a one-day campaign into a collective commitment and an integral part of daily life, behavior, and shared responsibility. He emphasized that citizens should pledge neither to create litter themselves nor to allow others to do so.

In his address, Shri C.R. Patil recalled Mahatma Gandhi's emphasis on cleanliness alongside independence. He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a nationwide mass movement through the Swachh Bharat Mission has transformed the rural sanitation landscape.

The program featured discussions on the achievements of 'Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026', the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, and the 'Swachh Seva Ankalan', an annual digital self-assessment framework at the Gram Panchayat level. The Union Minister also visited a 'Waste to Art' exhibition, which showcased the creative reuse of waste materials. Additionally, plantation was carried out under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, and all attendees took a cleanliness pledge.

Under Swachhata Hi Seva 2026, similar special Gram Sabhas were organized across rural India. The objective of these meetings was to review local sanitation efforts, examine the status of four-way source segregation under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, register bulk waste generators, and discuss Swachh Seva operations in ODF Plus model Gram Panchayats.

Senior officials from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) led programs across various states. Special Gram Sabhas were held in Sali Gram Panchayat of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Pindarkom village in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand, Ratipur village in the Palwal district of Haryana, and Muglia Haat and Jhirnia Gram Panchayats in the Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh. These events included tree plantation, inspection of segregation sheds, and community discussions on solid waste management rules.