IndiaPosted at: Sep 17 2026 3:36PM


Khandu launches month-long Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign, urges students to carry Swachhata beyond classrooms

Itanagar, Sept 17 (UNI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday joined students, teachers, NCC cadets and officials in a cleanliness drive at Mallo Tarin Government Higher Secondary School here, marking the state roll-out of Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026, a month-long campaign to promote cleanliness, hygiene and civic responsibility across the State.
The campaign is being observed under the theme “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat.”
Addressing the gathering, Khandu said cleanliness should not remain confined to school campuses but become an integral part of everyday life. He urged students to carry the habit of cleanliness from schools to their homes, villages, workplaces and offices.
Recalling the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, the Chief Minister said the cleanliness initiative had evolved into a people’s movement across the country. In Arunachal Pradesh too, he said, the campaign had grown into a mass movement involving districts and villages across the State.
Khandu highlighted the improvement in sanitation and hygiene brought about by the movement, recalling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made sanitation and the elimination of open defecation a key priority in his Independence Day address in 2014. He said toilets had subsequently been constructed across villages and households in Arunachal Pradesh through Central and State government initiatives.
The month-long State-wide campaign will feature around 12 programmes, including cleanliness-related competitions for school students. Art and speech competitions will be conducted at the district level, with district winners progressing to the State level.
He also announced that Seva Aapke Dwar camps would be organised across all districts during the campaign to connect villagers with government services and facilities provided through Central and State government schemes.
The Chief Minister appreciated the Waste to Art Park developed at Mallo Tarin GHSS in partnership with KPMG and the students. He said the initiative demonstrated how discarded materials could be creatively transformed into attractive and useful installations.
“These are small things but a very good habit. When the mind is clean, wisdom also works in the right direction,” Khandu said, linking cleanliness and orderliness with discipline and responsible living.
He also stressed the importance of discipline and respect for teachers, parents, elders and support staff, saying that habits developed during school years shape the character and conduct of young people.
Khandu encouraged students to use social media and digital platforms constructively for learning and acquiring knowledge. He also underlined the importance of sports for physical and mental well-being.
Referring to Arunachal Pradesh’s achievements in sports, he said the State had won more than 1,000 medals at national and international levels over the past decade. He said Arunachali athletes in Wushu and Taekwondo had been selected to represent India at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, and noted that the State had initiated the framework for Mission Olympics through the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs.
The Chief Minister said the government was creating platforms for young people in academics, sports, entertainment and other fields through initiatives such as Arunachal Got Talent, Mr Arunachal, Miss Arunachal, Arunachal Idol, Battle of Minds and Spelling Bees.
Khandu urged students to take the Swachhta pledge seriously, pointing out that it calls for dedicating 100 hours a year to cleanliness, or about two hours a week, and encouraging 100 others to take the pledge.
“Please take the pledge very seriously. Talk about cleanliness with your friends and family so that it becomes part of our lives,” he said.
He acknowledged the contributions of the Urban Local Bodies Department, Education Department, officials, Mallo Tarin GHSS, KPMG, NCC personnel and students in organising the State-level roll-out of SHS 2026.
The Chief Minister also appealed to citizens to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday by lighting a lamp in their homes or places of worship and praying for his good health and long life, as well as for the continued success of his efforts in the service of the nation.
UNI TD ARN
Tags: #Khandu launches month-long Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign# urges students to carry Swachhata beyond classrooms
More News

Centre issues advisory on stem cell therapy for autism, following directions of SC

17 Sep 2026 | 5:50 PM

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory to all States and UTs that have adopted the Clinical Establishments Act, 2010, on the regulation of stem cell therapy.

see more..

Amid escalating political war on UPI, Govt rejects Congress’ allegation of ‘external influence’

17 Sep 2026 | 5:10 PM

Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) Amid the escalating political slugfest over the BJP-led NDA’s announcement to introduce a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000, the Finance Ministry on Thursday dismissed Congress’ allegations that US pressure influenced the decision, asserting that the latest NPCI guidelines do not offer any advantage to international credit cards over RuPay on the UPI platform.

see more..

HAL to hand over Tejas, HTT-40 to IAF; Dhruv NG to Pawan Hans

17 Sep 2026 | 5:01 PM

Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI)
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will hand over LCA Tejas Final Operational Clearance (FOC) twin-seat trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force in Bengaluru on Friday, marking another milestone in the country's effort to build an indigenous fighter aircraft ecosystem.

see more..

72,000 NCC cadets deployed for Civil Defence duties during Op Sindoor

17 Sep 2026 | 4:37 PM

Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) More than 72,000 NCC cadets volunteered for a range of duties during Operation Sindoor, supporting Civil Defence and helping maintain essential services, while the National Cadet Corps simultaneously stepped-up training in emerging technologies such as drones and cyber security, according to the Ministry of Defence’s Annual Report 2025-26.

see more..

Grammy winner Ricky Kej among 18-member reconstituted CBFC board

17 Sep 2026 | 4:32 PM

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) Three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej, National Award-winning actors Pankaj Tripathi and Manoj Joshi, filmmaker Priyadarshan and Padma Shri theatre director Waman Kendre are among the prominent names in the newly reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), signalling a wider cultural mix in the body responsible for film certification.

see more..