The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will visit Kurukshetra in Haryana on February 12, 2019. He will participate in Swachh Shakti 2019, a convention of Women Sarpanches and distribute the Swachh Shakti-2019 awards. PM will visit the Swachh Sundar Shauchalay exhibition at Kurukshetra and address a public gathering. PM will also inaugurate/ lay foundation stone for various development projects in Haryana.
Swachh Shakti-2019 is a national event which aims to bring in to focus the leadership role played by rural women in Swachh Bharat Mission. Women Sarpanches and Panches from all over the country will be attending the event. Around 15,000 women are expected to participate in this year’s Swachh Shakti event aimed at empowering the women.
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in association with the Govt. of Haryana is organizing the Swachh Shakti-2019. Best practices from grass root level in the rural areas for Swachh Bharat will be shared by them. The event will showcase the achievements of Swachh Bharat and the recently conducted Swachh Sunder Shauchalay, (neat and clean toilet) - a unique and first of its kind in the world campaign.
Background:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Shakti program first in 2017 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. 6000 women sarpanches from across the country had assembled in Gujarat on the occasion of International Women’s Day under the banner of Swachh Shakti 2017. PM addressed and honoured them.
The second Swachh Shakti event, Swachh Shakti-2018 was held at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. 8000 women sarpanches, 3000 women Swachhagrahis and women champions from other walks of life from across the country were recognized for their outstanding contribution towards making a Swachh Bharat during the event.
Now the third edition is being inaugurated from Kurukshetra.
Swachh Shakti is an example of how at the grass root level, rural women champions are acting as a change agent to mobilize the community and lead from the front women taking initiatives for a Swachh Bharat. The movement is a part of ongoing activities under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched on October 2nd, 2014, by the Prime MinisterNarendra Modiaimed at achieving a Clean and Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by 2nd October, 2019.
