Satisfied over the progress of his brainchild — Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan — launched at Assi Ghat on November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated on Thursday his ‘navratnas’ once again while inspecting the ghat here.
Visiting his parliamentary constituency to mark the Good Governance Day, Modi also offered his “shramdaan” by sweeping a lane near Assi Ghat which leads to old Jagannath temple.
He went around the stairs leading to the Ganga and lauded the NGOs and others who had painstakingly cleaned up the ghat in the last 40 days.
At least 25 steps at the ghat were covered with silt and mud for decades. They have now showed up again after the clean-up.
Modi was seen satisfied when Mayor Ram Gopal Mohale and other BJP leaders briefed him about the ongoing cleanness campaign.
The PM named some NGOs/organisations, apart from leading personalities among his ‘navratnas’ for the cleanliness campaign launched by him in Delhi on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
Soon after arrival Modi first garlanded the statue of Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya at the entrance of Banaras Hindu University, accompanied by BHU vice-chancellor Prof GC Tripathi.
Modi named Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Bakrishna Acharya, first woman IPS Kiran Bedi, famous Oddissi dancer Sonal Mansingh, famous TV personality and comedian Kapil Sharma, former Indian cricket team skipper Saurabh Ganguli, Ramaji Rao of Enadu Group (Andhra Pradesh), Arun Puri of India Today Group, Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAI) and famous Dibbewalas of Mumbai.
Modi also greeted the people on the occasion of Christmas. He also paid his tributes to Bharat Ratna Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya on his 153rd birth anniversary and greeted former prime minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 90th birth day. Modi also did not forget to pay tributes to former Maharaja of Banaras Dr Vibhuti Narayan Singh on his death anniversary. Dr Singh being chancellor of BHU played an important role in growth of BHU and maintaining the rich cultural heritage of this mythological ancient holy city.