Centre to rope in Amitabh Bachchan for Swachh Bharat programmme

New Delhi: The Central government has approached Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to be the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet ‘Swachh Bharat’ programmme.

The Urban Development ministry had sent a letter to the Bollywood actor on June 20 to “lend his voice and person” and help promote a specific part of the campaign, i.e sale of city compost for use as fertilisers in order to reduce waste being transported to landfill sites, sources said.

The actor’s response is awaited on the issue, he said. According to the letter written by Mission Director Praveen Prakash, the government was stepping up efforts to encourage converting bio-degradable waste into compost, for use as fertiliser and reduce the waste going to landfill sites. It is in order to encourage and publicise composting that Bachchan’s participation is being sought, the letter said.

“A major component of the Swachh Bharat Mission includes 100 per cent scientific management of solid waste in all urban areas. Government is very keen to promote processing of bio-degradable component of solid waste into compost, for use as fertilisers. In order to succeed, this initiative will also need to be widely publicised among farmers, citizens, nurseries and public gardens," the letter said.

“We plan to come out with a range of promotional material (radio ads, TV commercials, posters, jingles etc) to spread the message. In this respect we would be grateful if you would agree to be the face of these promotions... Lending your voice and person for the radio ads, TV commercials and posters,” it added.