‘‘त्योहारों की खुशियों के बीच सभी स्वच्छता पर भी जोर देते रहें क्योंकि जहां स्वच्छता है, वहां त्योहारों का आनंद और बढ़ जाता है!’’ – माननीय प्रधानमंत्री, श्री नरेंद्र मोदी - 125वां एपिसोड, मन की बात, 31 अगस्त, 2025

With energy building across the nation, the stage is set for the 9th edition of Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2025, under the aegis of Swachh Bharat Mission. Starting on 17th September and culminating on 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti, the 15-day campaign will mobilize millions across the nation in a collective call to action for high-impact swachhata drives. Launched jointly by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) bring together citizens, communities, and institutions to drive visible cleanliness on the ground, with focus on Cleanliness Target Units – dark, dirty and neglected spots.

Addressing the event, The Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C.R. Patil said that the campaign, now in its eighth year, reflects Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of spreading mass awareness on cleanliness. He noted that more than 12 crore toilets have been constructed across the country, leading to a sharp decline in open defecation and a major improvement in the safety and dignity of women. Citing a WHO report, he added that nearly 3 lakh lives of children under the age of five have been saved due to the reduction in open defecation-related diseases.

Shri Patil recalled that when the mission began, only 37 percent of households had toilets, whereas today over 12 crore families have access to them. The Minister said SHS 2025 will be observed during a period marked by important dates including the Prime Minister’s birthday on 17th September, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on 25th September, and the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on 2nd October. He added that the Swachhata Utsav will continue till Diwali to encourage wider public participation.

The Union Minister announced a ₹8–10 Crore SafaiMitra Suraksha Fund for Surat including Navsari for welfare including educational support and interest-free loans for their families. Shri Patil also emphasized the ministry’s efforts towards creating plastic-free villages and curbing the use of single-use plastic, announcing that on 25th September, a one-hour nationwide cleanliness drive will be undertaken to mark Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary.

  

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, highlighted on the focus on Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) under SHS 2025, like last year. In 2024, over 8 lakh such CTUs were transformed and made usable public spaces. He said, "Identification, transformation and beautification of CTUs will happen on a fast-track-mode and beyond the campaign period for visible cleanliness on ground. Cities are identifying CTUs - dark spots, neglected and hard-to-reach areas, and places with excessive waste such as garbage dumps, railway stations, rivers, degraded lands, back lanes, and heavily littered dirty spots that need timely cleaning. These areas directly impact visible cleanliness, as cleanliness and beauty go hand in hand.

Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Shri Ashok KK Meena, gave the SHS 2025 outline, where he shared that SHS 2025 is anchored around the theme of 'Swachhotsav', that will champion the spirit of cleanliness in harmony with the festive celebrations across the country. The campaign aims to harness the vibrant energy of the season, blending culture, community participation, and festive fervour, to set new benchmarks for eco-friendly and zero-waste celebrations.

As part of the preparatory meetings, a meeting between Hon’ble Ministers, MoHUA and DDWS was conducted on 3 Sept., 2025 to discuss SHS, followed by a preparatory meeting on 9th Sept., 2025 with all States / UTs chaired by Union Ministers of DDWS and MoHUA, meeting of Committee of Secretaries was chaired by Cabinet Secretary on 10 Sept. The first Meeting of Coordination Committees across all levels (State, District, local bodies, Ministries etc.) was conducted on 12th of Sept., followed by a meeting with all Central Ministry Nodal Officers and field units, chaired by Secretary, DDWS.

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MAM/AK/SMP

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