Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on 2 October 2026 participated in a cleanliness drive at the Vinay Marg premises in New Delhi, marking Gandhi Jayanti by paying floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and inaugurating a paper-shredding machine designed to facilitate recycling of discarded paper. The event was part of the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign, which is running from 17 September to 17 October 2026.

What Jitendra Singh Said

Addressing reporters at the event, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made cleanliness a centrepiece of his very first Independence Day address from the Red Fort after assuming office. 'As you know, immediately after becoming Prime Minister, in his first Independence Day address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Modi called for cleanliness. At that time, perhaps many people did not understand it, but this is a special quality of Modi ji, whatever he calls for takes the form of a mass movement,' he said.

Delhi Ministers Join Constituency-Level Drives

A parallel cleanliness and tree-plantation drive was organised in Delhi's Wazirpur Assembly constituency under the leadership of MLA Poonam Bhardwaj. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Deputy Speaker Mohan Singh Bisht attended as chief guests. School and college students also took part in the initiative, reinforcing the campaign's emphasis on youth participation.

Delhi Minister Ashish Sood announced that the government had separately launched the 'Dump the Junk' campaign to discourage indiscriminate littering and encourage responsible waste disposal. 'From today until October 17, we are running the 'Dump the Junk' campaign with the youth and people of Delhi to discourage littering and ensure that garbage is not thrown indiscriminately. Today, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is also undertaking 'shramdaan' for cleanliness on a road,' Sood said.

Swachhata Hi Seva 2026: Scope and Theme

The Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign, anchored by the nationwide 'Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' (One Day, One Hour, Together) cleanliness drive, seeks to improve sanitation standards and build public awareness around hygiene and waste management. This year's theme — 'Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat' — underscores collective participation as central to the broader vision of a clean and developed India.

Several Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, and senior government officials are participating in cleanliness drives across the country as part of the campaign, which will conclude on 17 October 2026.

Significance on Gandhi Jayanti

Gandhi Jayanti, observed annually on 2 October to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, has long been associated with sanitation outreach since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Holding Swachhata Hi Seva drives on this date carries deliberate symbolic weight, connecting the government's cleanliness mission to Gandhi's own lifelong emphasis on sanitation as a cornerstone of public health and civic dignity. This year's activities mark the continuation of an annual tradition that has drawn participation from ministers to schoolchildren across the country.