September 17, 2025
Today marks the official launch of Swachhata Hi Sewa 2025 / Swachhotsav, a flagship mission under the Swachh Bharat Mission, which will run from 17th September to 2nd October 2025 across Jammu & Kashmir. The campaigns will culminate on 2nd October 2025, which is Gandhi Jayanti (Swachh Bharat Diwas). It aims to combine festive spirit, culture and community action to foster a cleaner, healthier, zero-waste urban environment. The Swachhta Hi Sewa and Sewa Parv roll-out rally was held today in various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), where citizens took the Swachhata pledge, underlining their commitment to keeping their surroundings clean.
This action-packed fortnight is designed to leverage the confluence of culture, festive fervour and community participation. The goal is not only to clean, but to celebrate in a way that sets new benchmarks for eco-friendly and zero-waste festivities where joy leaves behind memories, not waste. Key pillars of the campaign include transformation of Cleanliness Target Units, clean public spaces, the Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir, clean-green festivities and strong advocacy for Swachhata.
All ULBs are now in full swing conducting activities under these pillars. A highlight of today’s launch took place in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir: Hon’ble Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy and Minister of State in the Department of Space, rolled out the Campaigns from the Sub-District Hospital, Kathua. Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Sh. Prithvi Raj Sangra, Executive Officer Municipal Committee Parole, and Er. Sandeep Majotra, Chairman DDC Nagri-Parole and Hon’ble Dr. Bharat Bhushan, Member of the Legislative Assembly (Kathua-SC), who added his support to the launch.
Speaking on the launch, the Hon’ble Minister emphasized that cleanliness is not just responsibility of government alone, but a shared duty of every citizen. He called upon people to take small but consistent actions like avoiding single-use plastics, segregating waste and keeping public spaces clean to ensure sustainable, zero-waste festivities and healthier urban living.The event signals the beginning of a series of cleanliness drives, awareness campaigns and citizen engagement activities aimed at promoting sanitation, service and community participation across urban areas.We look forward to widespread participation and support from all citizens across Jammu & Kashmir.
In Kathua district, several Municipal Committees (MCs) have been active under Swachhata Hi Sewa 2025 / Seva Parv at MC Lakhanpur, a mega roll-out rally was conducted at the Main Yard, involving awareness efforts among local inhabitants about PMAY-2.0 Angikaar, seizure of polythene items and challans to violators, a surprise drive against Single-Use Plastics, flag-off of the Seva Parv drive and the swachhata pledge; similarly, MC Billawar held its rally at the Main Market Bus Stand with inauguration of the campaign and a large-scale cleanliness drive and MC Basholi carried out its activities at the Tehsildar office, participating in the campaign to foster sustainable and effective waste management practices.
