Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan might get budgetary grant

Various ministries will also be asked to generate additional financial resources

Encouraged by the initial response to the Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan, the Prime Minister’s Office is said to be working on the second phase of what is now known as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project. Government sources said under the second phase, the Centre will give a major push to the cleanliness project for which a separate allocation in the budget is also expected to be made.

In addition to the budgetary allocation, various ministries will also be asked to generate additional financial resources that will eventually be used in implementation of the Swachchh Bharat campaign by the respective ministries under various schemes being implemented by it.

“There is going to be a major shift in the Swachchh Bharat campaign from the new financial year since the Centre will try and provide funds to states and other autonomous bodies for this cleanliness drive. Till now this was primarily voluntary as the focus was more on awareness rather than being more result oriented. But with possible financial assistance the states hopefully will take more interest in the issue,” a senior government official said. Under the proposed second phase being worked upon, sources added, there would be larger ramification as the states can seek funds in developing model cities. These cities will have various successful schemes, including better waste management, rain water harvesting, smart urban transport.

Sources claimed consultations were currently going on among the PMO and various ministries as to how additional finances can be generated for the next phase of the scheme. Senior officials said the finance ministry has been appointed the nodal ministry for this exercise as mobilising funds for any scheme is always an uphill task more so when the economy still struggling.

In addition, the Prime Minister is also expected to put on fast-track another ambitious plan of converting his constituency Varanasi as a world class heritage city on the lines of Kyoto in Japan.