Bill-Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) pledges financial commitment to 'Swachh Bharat' campaign

The 'Swachh Bharat' campaign on Tuesday got a boost with USAID and Bill-Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) joining hands with the government and pledging a 'financial commitment' of around USD 12 million over the next five years for the success of the Mission.

The Urban Development Ministry signed MoUs with USAID and BMGF under which the two international bodies will to help strengthen sanitation and hygiene in urban areas, besides helping 'build capacity'. They will also share the best practices, innovation and technologies to achieve national sanitation targets.

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While BMGF pledged to provide financial support for this to the tune of USD 2.5 million per year for a five-year period for the programme, USAID will contribute upto USD 2 million for it. Swacch Bharat Mission is a flagship programme being undertaken by the NDA government and it has set a target of making the country clean and healthy by October 2, 2019, the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"Swachh Bharat Mission launched by the Prime Minister on October 2, 2014 is receiving a massive response and the PM has desired to convert this to a jan andolan (people's movement). It is catching up fast and people from different walks of life, different political shades, and also people belonging to different vocations, are coming forward," Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said after the MoU signing event.

He said people from cinema, industry, buisness, academic community are coming forward voluntarily to participate in the campaign.