President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said the Swachchh Bharat Mission (SBM) is not just about physical cleaning, it is about spiritual, social cleansing and reawakening which represent the spirit of our Independence movement.

 Inaugurating a three-day Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention in the national Capital, President Kovind said Swachchh Bharat has become a mass movement and a revolution playing out in real time.

“Swachchh Bharat is a revolution playing out in real time. As an instrument of mass mobilisation, as a people’s movement, and as a national goal towards which there is near total commitment, it represents the spirit of our independence movement,” he said.

The president quoted the father of the nation in his speech several times and said in the past four years, in keeping with the traditions and teachings of Gandhiji, “I am happy to note that Swachh Bharat has become a mass movement with domestic and international participation.”

Talking about the progress of the mission, Kovind said the relentless and strenuous labours of the past four years have led India to significant milestones. He further said sanitation coverage was at 39 per cent at the start of the mission in 2014, which has touched almost 95 per cent.

“India is striving to eliminate open defecation in its entirety by October 2, 2019. This is the best 150th birthday gift we can give to Gandhiji,” he said.

He, however, feels achieving universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene by 2030 is a major challenge in many parts of the world. Drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene are central to sustainable development goal, he said.

Emphasising on the importance of the SBM, the president said it sought to create a cleaner India with more efficient waste management, cleaner public and private places, improved sanitation and universal use of toilets.