The New Indian Express ·
Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar urges citizens to clean homes, light diya on PM's birthday
NEW DELHI: Following a review of preparations for the month-long Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign 2026 on Thursday, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar urged citizens to clean their homes and light a diya (earthen lamp) on the evening of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17.
Khattar said the campaign should be carried forward in the spirit of ‘Seva Sankalp’ (service pledge), with the aim of making cleanliness a sustained, people-led commitment rather than limiting it to the month-long initiative.
“He (Khattar) urged citizens to clean their homes themselves, and thereafter light a diya in their homes in the evening, symbolising a clean home, healthy family and positive energy; while also representing a commitment to sustain the cleanliness achieved,” the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) said.
