New York: The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation conferred the “Global Goal Keeper” award to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which was launched by his Government.

    Speaking on the occasion Modi said that getting the award in the year of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary in personally significant for me. He also said that the people of the country take pledge and challenges can be overcome. Modi dedicated the award to those Indian citizens who transformed the Swachh Bharat campaign into a people’s movement. And also the people accorded top most priority to cleanliness in the day to day activities. He also said that no such campaign was seen or had about in any other country in recent years.

   The program has been launched by our Government but people took control of it, said Modi. Under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan nearly 11 crore toilets were built in the country, which was recorded in the last five years, Modi said. The poor people and the women in India were benefitted mostly by the program, he said. Modi also said that due to lack of toilets a number of girl students had to drop out of schools. Due to lack of toilets they have to abandoned their education midway and sit at home, he said.

Change Maker Award: The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation conferred “Change Maker Award” to Payal Jangid of Rajasthan on Wednesday in New York.