Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, 1 October 2026 joined the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)'s mass voluntary cleanliness drive under the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026 campaign, participating in the 'Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Shramdaan initiative across key locations in New Delhi. The event brought together Union Ministers, government officers, students, traders, residents, Safai Sevaks, and institutional representatives in a collective push for a cleaner capital.

Key Events and Participation

Rijiju joined the Shramdaan programme at Navyug School, Peshwa Road, near Gole Market, alongside NDMC Chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi. Students, teachers, and residents participated in cleanliness activities, and a tree plantation drive was also held, with Rijiju and school students planting saplings to promote environmental responsibility.

At Yashwant Singh Place, Chanakyapuri, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy took part in the Shramdaan programme alongside Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Keshav Chandra, and other senior ministry officials. Reddy interacted with NDMC Safai Sevaks and felicitated them for their daily contribution to maintaining cleanliness in the area. Members of Market Traders Associations and local residents also joined.

What the Ministers Said

Addressing participants at Navyug School, Rijiju emphasised that keeping surroundings clean is a shared responsibility that 'begins with every citizen,' not solely with any individual or institution. He praised the enthusiasm of students and said the youth can become the driving force of this people's movement by making cleanliness, civic sense, and environmental responsibility part of everyday life. He called on citizens to carry the spirit forward in the broader Swachh Bharat endeavour.

New Community Toilet Facility Inaugurated

Under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh inaugurated NDMC's largest community toilet facility at Jodhpur Mess, Pandara Road, New Delhi. Constructed at a cost of ₹1 crore using NBCC CSR funds on NDMC-provided land, the modern facility includes separate sections for men and women, CCTV cameras, and essential provisions for cleanliness, hygiene, and security. Singh also participated in the Shramdaan programme at Hanuman Mandir, Connaught Place, alongside the NDMC team and temple trustees.

Singh stated that the inauguration fulfils another commitment to area residents, stressing that cleanliness is 'not merely a facility but a basic civic right of every citizen.'

Scale and Significance of the Drive

The initiative saw participation across schools, markets, residential areas, public places, offices, and institutional complexes — turning the cleanliness drive into what officials described as a 'people-centric Jan Andolan.' This comes as the SHS 2026 campaign, an annual precursor to Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October, looks to renew public engagement with sanitation and civic hygiene goals under the Swachh Bharat Mission. With senior ministers, civic officials, and citizens participating side-by-side, the drive represents one of the higher-profile mobilisations under this year's campaign.

The NDMC's new community toilet at Pandara Road will now serve as a model facility for future civic infrastructure under the council's hygiene mandate.