More than One Lakh Youth volunteers conducting cleanliness drive across 8,393 villages in Maharashtra/Goa: NYKS

New Delhi: “1,10,424 youth volunteers have actively taken part in conducting cleanliness drive across 8393 villages in both Maharashtra and Goa. We are collecting 37 kg waste per day per village which is 2 Kg more than the Centre’s target per day. We have achieved 66% of the targeted waste collection.” Zonal Director, NYKS, Mumbai Shri Prakash Kumar Manure informed this while addressing a joint media conference by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghthan (NYKS), Maharashtra and National Service Scheme (NSS) Pune and today.

NSS and NYKS have been organising nation-wide activities for waste disposal and cleanliness, especially processing of Single Use Plastic waste, during October 1 – 31, 2021. The virtual media conference was organized as part of “Clean India” Program of Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in the light ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration.

Shri Manure, informed that 30 kg of plastic is being collected from each village and disposed of on the same day. The objective of the campaign is to collect garbage from 13,136 villages in Maharashtra & Goa. At present, the campaign is being implemented in 452 villages. The target for the month of October is 4,59,760 kg of waste disposal.

Shri Manure made a presentation through which he shared the action plan of NYKS and several cleanliness drives undertaken by its volunteers across Maharashtra and Goa. He said that the main objective of the campaign is to make the program as People’s Movement through Jan Bhagidari. He also shared day-wise clean India activities to be carried out, by joining hands with educational institutes, religious bodies, business communities, women’s self-help groups, sports bodies, NGOs etc.

In addition to waste collection Shri Manure stated that “459 Monuments have been cleaned, 254 traditional water sources renovated and 1820 Schools, PHC & Community Places have been cleaned & beautified.”

Shri Manure while sharing the state-level compiled report mentioned that 1,10,424 youth volunteers have actively taken part in conducting the drive across 8393 villages in both Maharashtra and Goa. “We are collecting 37 kg waste per day per village which is 2 Kg more than the Centre’s target per day. We have achieved 66% of the targeted waste collection,” he added.
Shri Manure also informed that the top three best performers from every state will get to have a personal meeting with the President, Prime Minister, Vice President. “The selection will be made by a State Level Committee,” he added.
Regional Director of National Service Scheme, Pune, Shri. D. Carthigueane mentioned that, “NSS volunteers adopt a village and undertake cleanliness drive there; our volunteers stay in the adopted village for seven days to complete the drive; we are conducting special mega drive particularly to collect single-use plastics. Around 200 student volunteers from six states are participating in the camp.”
Shri D. Carthigueane informed that NSS is planning to undertake special drive to collect single-use plastics across 25 universities in Maharashtra and Goa. Speaking about the success and pace of the cleanliness drive he informed that, “We have achieved 50% target from the drive conducted from 01st to 15th October; we are hopeful to achieve the target on time.” He also mentioned that 300 kg of single use plastics has already been handed over to gram panchayats for proper disposal.
The conference was organized in a virtual mode. The “Clean India” Program of Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is aimed at creating awareness, mobilization of people and ensuring their involvement in the Clean India initiative.
The programme is being organised in six Lakh villages of 744 Districts across the country through the networks of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) affiliated Youth Clubs & National Service Scheme affiliated Institutions.
The presentation given by Zonal Director, NYKS, Mumbai Shri Prakash Kumar Manure, can be accessed here.