Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal participated in several key events in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Thursday, including the 'Swachhata Sewa' programme at Margherita.
Sonowal, who also serves as the Lok Sabha MP for Dibrugarh, took oath as a Poden member of the Margherita Municipal Board during his visit.
Addressing the public after participating in a cleanliness drive, Sonowal highlighted the importance of cleanliness, linking it to the values of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
"Cleanliness is like Godliness. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this government embarked upon an important task to make our country clean through Swacha Bharat Abhiyaan,” he said.
"It has been a decade of this campaign, which has brought tremendous changes, like thousands of villages and hundreds of urban centres became ODF. There has been a conscious effort to ramp up the infrastructure around garbage disposal system as well as strengthen the network mechanism to achieve better results. The campaign was inspired by the vision of Mahatma Gandhi. We must continue this wonderful journey led by the visionary PM Narendra Modi to realise the ideals of Gandhi ji which is going to strengthen the democratic values of India," Sonowal added.
During the event, the Union Minister laid a wreath at the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, participated in a cleanliness drive at a martyr’s memorial, planted saplings, and interacted with local shopkeepers and sanitation workers. The 'Seva Pakhwada' initiative, under which this event falls, is a nationwide program held annually from September 17 to October 2.
"We must all come together to uphold the values of Indian democracy by embracing the ideals and vision of Mahatma Gandhi. The strength of India lies in its rich and diverse democratic traditions. Our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has been reinforcing good governance to fortify the world's largest democracy and has invigorated the nation's relentless journey toward becoming a developed and self-reliant India. It is our collective responsibility to lead the nation in fulfilling the vision of self-reliance during this 'Amrit Kaal' and bring to life PM Modi's visionary path, inspired by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi,” he further said.
In addition to the 'Swachhata Sewa' event, Sonowal was sworn in as a Poden member of the Margherita Municipal Board and urged citizens to work together to build a developed, clean, and well-equipped township in Margherita.
The senior BJP leader also participated in the party’s 'Membership Campaign 2024' at Makum, where several individuals officially joined the party. He noted that the membership drive has gained significant momentum across the country, strengthening the BJP’s organizational structure.
"Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi and BJP National President J.P. Nadda, the party has reached new heights of expansion. I have been entrusted with overseeing 10 districts in Assam, including Dibrugarh, and the response has been overwhelming," Sonowal remarked.
The Union Minister was accompanied by several BJP leaders, including Pulak Gohain, Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited Chairman Bikul Deka, Tinsukia District BJP President Kushkant Bora, and Tinsukia Development Authority Chairman Kajal Gohain.