Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil on Friday participated in a Special Gram Sabha at Majigam village in Chikhli block of Gujarat’s Navsari district as part of Swachh Bharat Diwas observances.
Gujarat Cabinet Minister Naresh Patel, Joint Secretary and Mission Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Aishvarya Singh, District Collector and District Development Officer, along with senior state and district officials, attended the programme.
During the Gram Sabha, Patil felicitated sanitation workers and called for cleanliness to become a collective commitment rather than a one-day campaign. He urged people to make sanitation an integral part of their daily lives, behaviour and collective responsibility.
He also called upon people to resolve that they would neither litter nor allow others to litter.
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on cleanliness alongside independence, Patil said significant efforts towards improving sanitation after Independence had been undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the Swachh Bharat Mission had transformed rural sanitation through a nationwide people’s movement, with community participation continuing to drive the programme at the grassroots level.
The Special Gram Sabha discussed the achievements of Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 and Swachh Seva Aankalan, an annual digital self-assessment framework at the Gram Panchayat level. A presentation on the framework was made by the Joint Secretary and Mission Director.
Patil also visited a “Waste to Art” exhibition at the Gram Panchayat, showcasing the creative reuse of discarded materials and promoting responsible waste management practices.
A plantation drive was organised under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, during which Patil and the Joint Secretary and Mission Director planted saplings. Dignitaries and Gram Sabha participants also took the Swachhata pledge.
Special Gram Sabhas were organised across rural India on October 2 as part of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026. The meetings provided a platform for Gram Panchayats and rural communities to review sanitation and waste management efforts, assess the outcomes of SHS 2026, discuss four-way source segregation in line with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, identify and register bulk waste generators, and deliberate on Swachh Seva Aankalan in ODF Plus (Model) Gram Panchayats.
The Gram Sabhas also enabled communities to assess gaps and incorporate relevant measures into Panchayat Development Plans, including Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), for coordinated implementation at the grassroots.
Senior DDWS officials participate in Gram Sabhas across states and UTs
In Dadra and Nagar Haveli, a Deputy Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) participated in the Special Gram Sabha at Sayli Gram Panchayat. Discussions covered Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, followed by the Swachhata pledge and felicitation of sanitation workers. The visit also included an inspection of a sewage treatment plant and a plantation drive under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’.
In Jharkhand, a DDWS Deputy Secretary attended the Special Gram Sabha at Pindarkom village under Sithiyo Gram Panchayat in Namkum block of Ranchi district. The meeting discussed the draft Swachh Seva Aankalan and measures to address identified gaps. Sanitation workers were felicitated, participants took the Swachhata pledge, and plantation and sanitation-asset inspection activities were also conducted.
In Haryana, a DDWS Deputy Secretary participated in the Special Gram Sabha at Ratipur village in Palwal block of Palwal district. The programme included a plantation drive, inspection of a segregation shed and discussions with residents on Swachh Seva Aankalan, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 and local sanitation efforts.
In Madhya Pradesh, an Assistant Adviser from DDWS attended Special Gram Sabhas at Mugaliya Haat and Jhirniya Gram Panchayats in Phanda block of Bhopal district. Participants took the Swachhata pledge and discussed Swachhata Hi Seva 2026, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 and Swachh Seva Aankalan. The visit also included a plantation drive and inspection of a segregation shed.