FIle Photo: PM Modi cleaning the Assi Ghat in Varanasi
Union Minister Mahesh Sharma today announced that Airports Authority of India (AAI) would provide Rs 5 crore for cleanliness mission in Varanasi, carrying forward the "special drive" under the Prime Minister's Swachh Bharat Mission and said "mass support" is needed for its success.
An amount of Rs 5 crore would be spent on providing equipments that would help in removing wastes, along with enhancing cleanliness and boosting tourism, the Minister of state for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation said.
Besides providing cleaning equipments, AAI would also look after the cleanliness of Varanasi for two years will also looked after by AAI, said AAI Chairman RK Srivastava. Launching a special 'cleaning campaign' at the recently renovated Assi Ghat, the Union Minister said the Swachh Bharat mission needs mass support without which success can never be achieved.
Mr Sharma also said that the government doesn't want the Prime Minister's Swachh Bharat mission to be just limited to "photo-ops".
The Union Minister expressed his unhappines over the lack of cleanliness at ghats which he believes is reducing the footfall of foreign as well as domestic visitors.
Mr Sharma appealed to people to try their best to keep their surroundings clean so that tourists visiting Varanasi go back with an impressive image of the ancient city.
The Union Minister also visited the parliamentary office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and listened to the grievances of people.
He also said that on September 10, a special meeting has been called by the Union Minister of Urban development Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi to discuss plans for the development of the city.
Officials from various ministries will attend this meeting, he said.
While initiating a cleanliness campaign from the main gate of Banaras Hindu University, Mr Sharma said that almost 700 students of BHU pledged to take forward the Swachh Bharat Mission to support the Prime Minister's initiative.
He said that an appeal is also being made to other college students along with social organisations and NGO's to take up this cleanliness drive here.
The Union Minister also visited the Central Library of Banaras Hindu University and released the digital version of rare manuscripts to mark the Janmashtami festival.