Varanasi, Oct 15 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on a two-day visit to Varanasi, honoured sanitation workers from the Municipal Corporation at the Sanitation workers’ felicitation ceremony on Thursday and showered flower petals on them. He also presented them with ceremonial stoles and bags on the stage.
The Chief Minister reviewed preparations at the Kashi Ghat earlier in the day for the likely visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. An elaborate air show is slated to be held at the NaMo ghat in Kashi from October 22 to 25, which will also be attended by PM Modi.
The sanitation workers’ felicitation ceremony, held at Saroja Palace in Kabirchaura, also screened a short film highlighting public welfare initiatives for them.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Adityanath called them the “foundation stones” of any nation and praised their contributions despite not receiving due credit.
“Sanitation workers may not be visible, but the entire establishment stands on them. Be it winter, summer, rainy season, storms or festivals, sanitation workers take to the streets to provide society with a clean environment. They make the festive atmosphere pleasant for everyone first and celebrate festivals with their own children only at the end.”
“Sanitation workers kept the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh clean, divine, and grand. As many as 66 crore devotees visited the event, and everyone appreciated its cleanliness,” he added.
The Chief Minister, speaking about Kashi’s transformation under Prime Minister Modi’s watch, said, “Before 2014, Kashi’s narrow lanes were piled with garbage. Cattle and bulls roamed the streets, and people struggled for electricity. Dilapidated ghats, traffic jams and filth had become Kashi’s identity and destiny. Before 2017, the mafia would seize the land of the poor and traders and spread fear. However, Kashi is now progressing with a new radiance and a new character while preserving its spiritual and cultural heritage.”
The Chief Minister also warned of strict action if anyone was found deducting the wages of sanitation workers or harassing them.
“We are guaranteeing their honorarium. UP Outsourcing Corporation is now working on this. They should receive a minimum honorarium of Rs 16,000. The hospital should provide ESI-covered treatment facilities. Personnel will receive insurance coverage so that their families are not left helpless in the event of an accident. PF contributions will also be deducted. Upon retirement, they will have their own accumulated savings, on which they will also earn interest from the bank,” CM Yogi elaborated.
–IANS
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