NEW DELHI: ‘Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath’, a cleanliness drive under the ongoing ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign was organised at the Army Headquarters Unit Run Canteen, here on Thursday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the campaign and honoured the cleanliness workers.
According to a Defence Ministry statement, during the event, the Defence Minister took the ‘Swachhata Sankalp’, reaffirming his commitment to cleanliness. He also honoured Safai Mitras for their dedication to sanitation and participated in a tree-planting drive to promote an eco-friendly, zero-waste environment. In a symbolic gesture, he flagged off a Safai Run with 100 NCC cadets, highlighting the role of youth in advancing the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said that cleanliness is not just about tidiness but a “way of life” that reflects discipline and responsibility. He pointed out that clean surroundings improve health, mental well-being, and inner peace, while unclean spaces can spread disease and negativity. Drawing on India’s traditions, he noted that cleanliness has always been valued as a mark of a civilised society.
He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making cleanliness a people’s movement, where everyone takes responsibility. He further expressed pride that all military camps are now open-defecation-free, reflecting the discipline of the armed forces and dedication of the civilian workforce. He added that a healthy, clean, and conscious society is a pillar of national security and urged everyone to adopt cleanliness as a national duty, inspiring others to contribute to a clean, healthy, and developed India.
The drive saw participation from Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Secretary (ESW) Dr Niten Chandra, Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Dr Mayank Sharma, along with senior MoD officials and jawans.
Agencies