Ram Vilas Paswan asks FCI staff to give 100 hrs/year to 'Swachh Bharat'

NEW DELHI: Initiating a campaign under ' Swachh Bharat Mission', Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today appealed to employees of state-run FCI to dedicate 100 hours every year to keep cities and towns clean.

Paswan, who swept the area outside FCI headquarters here, said there is no respect for sweepers in India unlike developed countries and that needs to be changed.

Stating that the cleanliness drive is not symbolic, Paswan said: "When the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers are holding brooms to clean up the area, it is not symbolic. The government's aim is to make this a mass movement."

He appealed to over 36,000 employees of Food Corporation of India (FCI) to join the campaign and keep their homes, offices, neighbourhood, town and cities spick and span.

"The government expects FCI officials to dedicate 100 hours every year to keep their cities and towns clean," he said, adding that participation in such drives highlights the dignity of labour also.

Stressing on the need to respect sweepers, Paswan said: "In developed countries, a sweeper is equally respected but not so in India. A person who does the work of sweeping is associated with caste here. He is considered to be low-caste."

The Minister said he would participate in the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' to be launched on October 2 by the Prime Minister at his constituency in Hajipur, Bihar.

After participating in the cleanliness campaign, Paswan in a meeting with senior FCI officials reviewed the preparations for procurement of kharif crops and total storage capacity in the country. He also asked the officials to work with determination and sincerity, an official statement said.

He suggested that the FCI should set up a 'model depot' in every state and formulate a 'citizens charter' to improve its image among the people, besides publicising its achievements.

"There should be a Model Depot of FCI in every state which can be shown as a benchmark for storage facility of food grains," he told FCI officers.

He advised that General Managers (Region) to hold press conferences on a fortnightly basis and explain to the media the role and responsibilities of FCI, the statement added.

The Minister also inspected the quality control lab of FCI and visited the staff canteen.