Prayagraj (UP), Oct 1 (PTI) Union Minister Anurag Thakur launched the month-long nationwide Swachh Bharat campaign here on Saturday and said a target of collecting 100 lakh kg of plastic waste from across the country has been set this year.

"Last year more than 75 lakh kg plastic waste was collected under this campaign and this time, a target has been set to collect 100 lakh kg plastic waste during the campaign which will run from October 1 to 31," Thakur said at an event here.

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He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on making the country clean, beautiful and empowered through cleanliness.

"Last year too, we started this cleanliness campaign from Sangam city itself," he said. The Union Minister said lakhs of youths will collect plastic waste under this campaign.

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Everyone has to fulfill the responsibility of saving Mother Earth together, he said.

After the program, the minister reached the Sangam bank collected plastic waste along with volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra, National Service Scheme and a large number of people.

Thakur also inaugurated the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Amitabh Bachchan Sports Complex and the eight-day sports festival at another programme.

He said the central government is making all out efforts to take sports forward.

No obstacle would be allowed to come in the way of players and all possible facilities were being provided to them, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)