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New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on September 24, 2019, 2019. The award ceremony was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York.
Prime Minister dedicated the award to those Indians who transformed the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan into a mass movement and made it a part of their daily lives. “ The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission is due to the people of India. They made this their own movement and ensured the desired results were attained,” PM Modi said after receiving the award, according to a PIB release.
Terming it as a significant moment personally to receive the award on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is proof that when 130 crore Indians take a pledge, any challenge can be overcome. He added that India has made remarkable progress in fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a Swachh Bharat.
“In the last five years, a record more than 11 crore toilets were constructed. This mission has benefitted the poor and women of the country the most,” PM Modi noted. In addition to the sanitation and health benefits, building of 11 crore toilets has also boosted economic activity in villages, he added.
Speaking about improving global sanitation coverage, the Prime Minister said that India is ready to share its expertise and experiences with other nations, so that there can be collective effort towards increasing sanitation coverage.He also mentioned about India’s efforts towards preventive healthcare through mission mode movements like Fit India Movement and Jal Jeevan Mission.