NEW DELHI: Most of the ministers of the Narendra Modi government will be busy celebrating International Women’s Day on Wednesday in their own way. While the PM himself will be in Gujarat addressing about 6,000 woman Sarpanches from all across the country, many Union ministers will visit different states for Swachhta celebrations and award ceremonies on this occasion.
In Gujarat, PM Narendra Modi will be accompanied by Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Smriti Irani and the Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani will also be there in the event ‘Swachh Shakti’ is to highlight women’s leadership in Swachh Bharat Mission.
Officials said that across the country, many states will be holding public events to honour Women Swachhta Champions as a part of Swachh Shakti on March 8. Union ministers will attend Swachhta celebrations and award ceremonies in different states to provide a greater morale boost to the participants and awardees. Thawar Chand Gehlot, minister of social justice and empowerment, will be visiting Rajnandgaon, Chhatisgarh; Ramesh Jigajinagi, minister of state, ministry of drinking water and sanitation, will visit Udupi, Karnataka; Ajay Tamta, minister of state for textiles, will visit Jaipur, Rajasthan; and Venkaiah Naidu, Union UD minister will visit Siddhipet, Telangana on the occasion.
On Wednesday, all participating sarpanches will gather at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, and view a digital exhibition designed around the theme “Role of Women Champions in Swachh Bharat”. Major issues of Swachh Bharat have been imaginatively packaged with interactivity in iconic films and exhibition gallery. This will be followed by an edutainment session around six themes, interspersed by cultural performances by local troupes from Gujarat, The themes are: Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Digital India, Rural Housing (Awaas), Skill India, and Garibi Se Mukti (Jan Dhan, insurance, micro-loans etc.)
The PM will arrive at the venue following this session, and, after a visit to the digital exhibition, will deliver his address to the 6000 sarpanches. He will also honour 10 women swachhagrahis who have done exceptional work for Swachh Bharat.
The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched on October 2nd, 2014, by the PMis aimed at achieving a clean and open defecation free (ODF) India. Officials said that inspiring leaders among women sarpanches have decided to champion the cause of sanitation in their respective villages across the country, by galvanizing the entire village to achieve an ODF status.
On the occasion of the International Women Day, the ministry of youth affairs and sports will organize a conference on 'Women and Sports in India. The daylong conference will deliberate upon various issues for encouraging more and more women to take up sports.