Jharkhand CM joins 'Swacch Bharat Mission', PM Modi calls it 'incredible effort'

New Delhi/Ranchi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appreciated the effort made by the Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das who joined the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' by cleaning a locality in Ranchi, hours after taking oath today.

“Incredible effort! Raghubar Das ji joins Swachh Bharat Mission on Day 1 in office. Very inspiring gesture,” PM Modi tweeted.

According to reports, soon after the oath ceremony was over, Jharkhand's new CM made an unscheduled stop at Kantatoli intersection at Ranchi and there, in a bylane, he picked up a broom to kick off his own cleanliness mission.

CM Raghubar Das earlier today said Prime Minister Modi is "our nayak (hero)" and under his guidance development of Jharkhand will be put on the fast track.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is our nayak (hero). I'll govern as per his development initiatives," he told reporters in Ranchi. 

Das further said he would consult with the Centre to develop Ranchi as a 'smart city' under the central programme.

Holding that the people of Jharkhand have voted the ruling alliance on developmental initiatives, Das said he would take forward the 'Swachh Bharat' mission.

The cleanliness drive, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, was focuses on sanitation, hygiene and waste management.

It encourages people to sweep, remove garbage, debris and unauthorized encroachments from roads, markets and residential places.

The 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' aims at making India a clean country by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Das was earlier in the day sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand, becoming the first non-tribal leader to rule the state.

However, PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, who were to attend today's function, could not leave Delhi due to the thick fog, and the 2.6 degrees Celsius temperature, the lowest in five years. 

The BJP has won 42 of the 81 assembly seats in the recently-concluded assembly elections in the state. In the 14 years since its formation, Jharkhand had nine governments and three stints of President's Rule.