Swachh Bharat has not worked: Shashi Tharoor

Jaipur: Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said he was disappointed at not seeing “significant progress” in the Swachh Bharat campaign, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“There is no significant progress. We have not seen concrete progress, fund allocation, improvement of fundamental structure and schemes. The PM deserves credit for having raised the issue but the government is not confined to headlines,” Tharoor said.

The Congress leader, who was nominated by Mr Modi to spread the message of the cleanliness campaign, said there was failure to allocate funds and put in place a mechanism for the initiative.

“The government has to ensure that mechanism is in place, funds are allocated, leadership is given to the programme and that sadly has not happened,” Tharoor said at a session titled ‘Swachh Bharat: The India Story’ on the penultimate day of the five day Jaipur Literature Festival here.

Mr Tharoor said the cleanliness campaign has been reduced to mere photo ops with VIPs wielding brooms in front of cameras on every Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.

“PM had announced a Swachh Bharat Kosh. Where is that kosh? I have not seen it so far. We need to ensure that the funds provided by the central government also strengthens the local level leaders who want to make a difference,” he said.