New Delhi: With a view to generate awareness among  people across the nation on cleanliness and making Swachh Bharat Mission a mass movement, street plays will be held in all 70 Assembly constituencies of the national capital till 15th of August.

Flagging off the initiative yesterday, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has desired Swachh Bharat Mission to be made a mass movement. Mr Naidu said, his ministry has always emphasized the need for behaviour change and cleanliness to become a part of everyone’s daily life.

He expressed hope that other States and cities would emulate such initiatives at their level, and said it can be funded from 1 thousand 4 hundred 62 crore rupees allocated to States and cities under Information, Education and Communication, IEC component of Swachh Bharat Mission. Mr Naidu also complimented Sanjiv Arora, head of NGO Indraprasth Sanjeevni, which will organise the street plays and the students of Kalindi College who will perform in the play.

In an official release, Urban Development Ministry said, it has decided to rope in the youth of the country through its next set of thematic drives. In the first phase, from August 1 to 15, NSS, NCC and eco-clubs will join hands with youth volunteers and help sensitise citizens and slum dwellers about safe sanitary practices and decentralised solid waste management.

In the second phase, from August 16 to 31, the ministry will ask all sports icons who are Swachh Bharat ambassadors, and sports clubs, to take up special cleanliness drives in their cities.