Mangaluru: Union minister of state for petroleum & natural gas, and tourism, Suresh Gopi, Monday said people participation is key to the success of govt initiatives such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.He was speaking after inaugurating the Swachhata Pakhwada 2026 campaign, jointly organised by MRPL and Ramakrishna Math at Kadri Park.The minister said the vision of a clean India was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and had been pursued by Narendra Modi during his tenure as chief minister of Gujarat before being expanded into a nationwide campaign after he assumed office as Prime Minister in 2014.“Swachhata is not merely a symbolic activity. It is a reminder that cleanliness is a public duty, a civic value and a shared responsibility,” he said.
Swachhta Pakhwada 2026: MoS Suresh Gopi takes part in Swachhta Pakhwada at Kadri Park in Mangaluru Monday
Emphasising that the true strength of the Swachh Bharat Mission lies in Jan Bhagidari (people’s participation), Suresh Gopi said govts can provide direction and organisations can extend support, but lasting change is possible only when citizens actively participate. He urged people to take a pledge not to litter, to reduce plastic waste, to keep homes, workplaces, and public spaces clean, and to inspire others to follow suit.He said cleanliness is closely linked to public health, dignity, tourism, environmental protection and national pride, adding that clean surroundings reflect a society’s responsibility towards future generations.Referring to the oil and natural gas sector, the minister said the industry’s responsibilities extend beyond ensuring the country’s energy security to include environmental conservation, waste management, community welfare and sustainable development. He also acknowledged the contribution of sanitation workers and frontline personnel.He lauded MRPL for partnering with Ramakrishna Math to organise the campaign. “When institutions, volunteers and students come together, cleanliness becomes more than an activity; it becomes a collective social behaviour,” he said.Calling upon the younger generation to contribute to environmental protection, he appealed to them to participate in the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign by planting a tree in honour of their mothers, saying such initiatives would help combat global warming.He said he would visit 10 states as part of the Swachhata Pakhwada campaign and Union minister for petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri and other ministers would also visit different states.He also delivered a line in Kannada and said he was more fluent in Tamil, but had not had an opportunity to work as a party worker there. The minister later planted a sapling under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.MP Capt Brijesh Chowta said Mangaluru is among the country’s ten cleanest cities and credited the Swachha Mangaluru campaign for making cleanliness an integral part of the city’s culture.Ramakrishna Math Adhyaksha Swami Jitakamanandaji, MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, MRPL managing director Mundkur Shyamprasad Kamath and director (refinery) Nandakumar V Pillai were present.
