The Central government has approached Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to be the “face” of PM Narendra Modi’s pet Swachchh Bharat programme.
The Central government has approached Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to be the “face” of PM Narendra Modi’s pet Swachchh Bharat programme.
The urban development ministry had sent a letter to the actor on June 20 to “lend his voice and person” and help promote a specific part of the campaign, i.e. sale of city compost for use as fertilisers in order to reduce waste being transported to landfill sites, sources said. His response is awaited on the issue.
According to the letter written by mission director Praveen Prakash, the government was stepping up efforts to encourage converting bio-degradable waste into compost, for use as fertiliser and reduce the waste going to landfill sites. It is in order to encourage and publicise composting Mr Bachchan’s participation is being sought, the letter said.
“A major component of the Swachchh Bharat Mission includes 100 per cent scientific management of solid waste in all urban areas. The government is very keen to promote processing of the bio-degradable component of solid waste into compost as fertiliser,” the letter said.
In order to succeed, this initiative will also need to be widely publicised among farmers, citizens, nurseries and public gardens,” the letter said.
“We plan to come out with a range of promotional material (radio ads, TV commercials, posters, jingles etc) to spread the message. In this respect, we would be grateful if you would agree to be the face of these promotions... Lending your voice and person for the radio ads, TV commercials and posters,” it added.
Mr Modi had launched Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan, or Clean India Mission, on October 2, 2014, and set a 5-year deadline to usher in complete cleanliness in the country.
