PM Modi receives Global Goalkeepers Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the 2019 ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at a ceremony held on the sidelines of United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York City, US.

PM Modi was honoured with international award for his leadership of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (or Swachh Bharat Mission), which he had launched on 2 October 2014 as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

About Global Goalkeepers Award

The awards were started by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The year 2019 marks the fourth annual Global Goals Awards.

The Goalkeepers award seeks to bring together leaders from across the world to accelerate progress for ending poverty and fighting inequality.

Receiving the award is a special recognition and honour that celebrates political leader who has shown their commitment to Global Goals by impactful work in their native country and/or globally.

About Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan

SBA is an ambitious mission that seeks to improve cleanliness through solid and liquid waste management and making villages across India open-defecation free (ODF). It also aims to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage in India by 2019 as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. It is also the world’s largest behavioural change programme.

As of now, 90 million toilets have been built across country to eliminate open defecation by 2 October 2019. Also, currently 98% of India’s villages have rural sanitation coverage instead of 38% in 2014.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2019