Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 5 June praised a city-wide cleanliness drive in Surat that mobilised more than one lakh residents, calling the waste collected the 'most valuable gift' he had received during his visit. Speaking at a public gathering to mark World Environment Day, Modi said the campaign had transformed a routine sanitation exercise into a civic movement reflecting the city's deep culture of community responsibility.

The Remark That Stood Out

'You welcomed me, presented various mementoes and gifts. But even more valuable than all these gifts is the priceless gift that Surat has given me. Surat has gifted me garbage,' the Prime Minister said to the gathering. He added: 'For me, this is a huge gift,' thanking all those who had participated in the initiative.

Modi noted that most people expect visiting leaders to receive ceremonial honours and expensive presents. 'People usually think that a Prime Minister should receive grand gifts during a welcome. But you are taking pride in gifting garbage,' he said, underscoring the symbolic weight of the gesture.

Five-Day Campaign, One Lakh Families

The cleanliness drive was conducted over five days ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, with more than one lakh residents reportedly taking part. Modi observed that participation at that scale effectively represented the involvement of more than one lakh families. 'This is not merely a cleanliness campaign. It is a cultural festival for a healthy future,' he said.

Surat's Cleanliness Legacy

Modi connected the drive to Surat's long-standing reputation as one of India's cleanest cities, noting that the city has repeatedly won national cleanliness awards yet continues to undertake large-scale sanitation initiatives rather than resting on its record. 'That is why I say Surat is not a city, Surat is a spirit,' he said.

The Prime Minister recalled that Surat underwent a dramatic transformation from the 1990s, when it faced severe public health challenges, crediting residents, civic authorities, elected representatives, and municipal workers for sustaining improvements over the past two-and-a-half decades.

Broader World Environment Day Message

The remarks were part of a wider address in which Modi emphasised public participation in environmental protection, waste management, and sustainable urban development. This comes amid the Centre's sustained push under the Swachh Bharat Mission to institutionalise civic cleanliness as a national habit rather than a periodic exercise. Notably, Surat's model of citizen-led sanitation is increasingly cited by urban planners as a template for other Tier-1 cities.

With civic bodies across India watching, the Prime Minister's remarks are likely to amplify pressure on other municipalities to move beyond awareness campaigns toward measurable, large-scale community action.