New Delhi, October 1: As part of the nationwide “Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) Campaign 2026”, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs organized “Ek Din – Ek Ghanta – Ek Saath Shramdaan” today at Navyug School, Peshwa Road, New Delhi.
The cleanliness drive was led by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs & Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju. The event was attended by Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Nikunja Bihari Dhal; Chairman, NDMC, Shri Manoj Kumar Dwivedi; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Satya Prakash; Principal, Navyug School, Ms. Meenakshi Kaushik, along with officers and officials of the Ministry, teachers and students of Navyug School.
The Swachhata Pledge was also administered to all the participants, who reaffirmed their commitment to cleanliness and to making Swachhata an integral part of their daily lives.
As part of the programme, Union Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju, Secretary Shri Nikunja Bihari Dhal, Chairman, NDMC, Shri Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Satya Prakash planted saplings in the school campus under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Abhiyan”. The plantation activity reflected the spirit of environmental responsibility and complemented the objectives of the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Chairman, NDMC, expressed his gratitude for the presence of the Minister and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs at Navyug School. He thanked the Ministry, on behalf of himself and the school, for choosing Navyug School as the venue for the Swachhata Hi Seva activity and appreciated the joint efforts of all stakeholders in making the programme a success.
Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Nikunja Bihari Dhal, thanked the Navyug Cooperative Society for the smooth coordination and conduct of the programme. He highlighted the vision of Mahatma Gandhi for a clean India and recalled that on 2nd October 2014, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, giving a renewed impetus to the nationwide movement for cleanliness. He also noted that the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign was launched in 2017 to further strengthen public participation in the cleanliness movement.
The Secretary emphasized that Swachhata is everyone’s responsibility and not merely the responsibility of the Government. He encouraged the students to take the message of cleanliness from their school to their homes and ultimately to society at large. He also underscored that the collective resolve should not be limited to making India clean, but should contribute towards building a developed, inclusive and progressive India – Viksit Bharat.
Addressing the students and participants, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs & Minority Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju, said that although he had heard about Navyug School earlier, he was pleased to get an opportunity to visit the school and participate in the Swachhata Hi Seva programme. He interacted with the teachers and students and appreciated their participation in the cleanliness drive.
The Minister recalled that cleanliness was earlier often perceived as work meant only for sanitation workers or as a task of a lower order. He said that the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission by the Prime Minister in 2014, including the call for cleanliness from the Red Fort, transformed cleanliness into a people’s movement and a national mission.
Emphasizing that cleanliness cannot be confined to a symbolic one-day activity, Shri Rijiju said that while “Ek Din – Ek Ghanta – Ek Saath” is symbolic of collective participation, the spirit of Swachhata has to be followed throughout the day and every day. He urged the students to continue practising cleanliness in their daily lives and carry the message from the school to their homes and communities.
The Minister thanked the Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Chairman, NDMC, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the Principal, teachers and staff of Navyug School, officers and officials of the Ministry and all the students for their active participation and contribution to the successful conduct of the programme.
The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation of officers and officials of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, teachers and students of Navyug School, reflecting the spirit of collective responsibility and public participation in the Swachhata movement.
The event concluded with a collective resolve to make cleanliness an integral part of everyday life and to continue contributing towards a cleaner, healthier and more developed India.
