Cleanliness became form of service, faith during Shri Amarnath pilgrimage: Modi
16,000 pilgrims took pledge, 10,000 awarded *Unite against drug abuse, build stronger future for youth Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that cleanliness became a form of service and faith during holy pilgrimage of Baba...
16,000 pilgrims took pledge, 10,000 awarded
*Unite against drug abuse, build stronger future for youth
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that cleanliness became a form of service and faith during holy pilgrimage of Baba Barfani in Shri Amarnath Ji cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas saying inspiring scenes of public participation were witnessed in the just concluded yatra.
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Annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji shrine concluded on August 28 with Chhari Mubarak (holy mace of Lord Shiva) led by Mahant Deependera Giri performing darshan on the occasion of Sharawan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan though the yatra was suspended on August 9 due to repair on both tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal.
``Cleanliness became a form of service and faith during holy pilgrimage to Baba Barfani,'' Modi said in his monthly radio address `Mann Ki Baat'.
Asserting that inspiring scenes of cleanliness and public participation were witnessed during recent Shri Amarnath Ji yatra, he said thousands of sanitation workers toiled day and night to serve pilgrims along arduous routes.
“Over 16,000 pilgrims took a pledge for cleanliness. More than 10,000 were awarded the `Responsible Yatri' certificate,” the Prime Minister said, adding there was one aspect of the effort that he particularly appreciated that pilgrims themselves became active participants in this cleanliness drive.
He added that a unique experiment also took place with dung from the horses and mules used during pilgrimage converted into biogas and this clean energy was used to light the ‘Swachh Jyot’.
During this year's Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage, Modi said, more than 400 metric tonnes of waste were collected and processed.
Meanwhile, an official statement issued by the concerned department of the J&K Government said the Directorate of Rural Sanitation, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, implemented a comprehensive sanitation and waste management framework across Baltal and Pahalgam, the base camps and other key yatra locations.
``The system was designed to cater to the requirements of lakhs of pilgrims while ensuring that cleanliness and environmental protection remained central to the management of the pilgrimage,'' the statement said.
Asserting that the month of August brings with it myriad hues of patriotism all around as during this time, the spirit of love for the nation intensifies in everyone's heart, the Prime Minister said the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign further strengthens this sentiment and this year has become even more special as it marks the 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram'.
``This celebration of the tricolour was not limited to India alone; this year, through the 'Suryapath Tiranga' initiative, the national flag embarked on a unique journey across the globe. The tricolour was hoisted in Suva, Fiji, at the first light of dawn. Subsequently, it was unfurled at Indian Missions and Posts across Asia, Africa, Europe, and eventually San Francisco in America. You can imagine how magnificent those scenes must have been; as the Sun traversed across the world, the Indian tricolour was hoisted in its wake," he said.
Modi said the 'National Handloom Day', the anniversary of the 'Quit India Movement', the 'Partition Horrors Remembrance Day' make this month special and the 'Independence Day' and 'National Space Day' fill every countryman with pride.
Modi appealed to citizens to unite against drug abuse and build a stronger future for the youth, noting that addiction engulfs not just an individual but impacts the entire society.
``The 'Drug-Free Youth for a Developed India' campaign is rapidly gaining momentum across the country and stressed that its objective is clear: 'Drug-free youth, drug-free India,'' he said.
The Prime Minister said he was happy that this campaign has not remained merely a formality as many people, especially the youth, are becoming a part of it in large numbers.
"After all, this is our collective resolve for the health, happiness, and bright future of India's youth. Let us all play our part in this noble mission to keep India's youth away from drugs and free from addiction," he said.
Modi said drug addiction does not just engulf a single individual as the entire family and society have to bear the consequences.
"I would like to commend those who raise awareness against drugs and step forward to help individuals struggling with addiction," he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the PM SVANidhi Yojana welfare scheme for street vendors, noting that lakhs of women are gaining strength from it.
Lakhs of women across the streets of cities and towns are engaged in selling vegetables or fruits, running tea stalls, while some are selling flowers, earthen lamps, and 'pooja' material, he noted.
"Often, a mere lack of capital prevents their businesses from growing further. But now, lakhs of such mothers and sisters are gaining new strength through the 'PM SVANidhi Yojana'," he said.
Modi said this aspect of 'women empowerment' is not discussed as much as it should be since women account for approximately 46 percent of the beneficiaries of the 'PM SVANidhi Yojana'.
"This means that around 35 lakh women across the country are expanding their businesses by connecting with this scheme," he asserted.
Referring to the 'Mission ShaktiSAT', Modi said today the dreams of the country's daughters are soaring from the earth to outer space.
"And you will be proud to know that India is bringing together thousands of daughters who are nurturing such dreams, from across the globe. This initiative is named 'Mission ShaktiSAT," he said.
