Question

The private sector and programmes like ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ aim to keep surroundings clean and improve the living conditions in the city.

1. List any two ways in which private enterprises participate in improvement of the city.
2. Mention any three ways by which public awareness can be created to keep surroundings clean.

Answer 1

1. The private sector participates in city improvement in the following ways:
   1. The private sector provides a significant share of employment, including both formal and informal jobs.
   2. The private sectors play a crucial role in urban governance. They monitor whether urban areas develop in inclusive and sustainable ways, contribute to poverty reduction, and support economic development.
2. Public awareness can be created in the following ways:
   1. Educational programmes: Arrange programmes to raise public awareness of the importance of cleanliness and the harmful effects of poor hygiene.
   2. Community engagement: Start cleanliness campaigns with an agenda that goes beyond cleaning cities to also spread awareness about personal and city hygiene. These campaigns motivate and influence even more people to join such causes. Such broad participation by a large number of people ensures good results.
   3. Involve the private sector: Operational activities of the private sector generate a huge amount of waste and cause pollution (air, water, soil, and sound), which are not handled appropriately. Therefore, it is critical to involve the private sector in city development as well. Interactive planning and decision-making processes are needed to support private sector participation in urban governance and to coordinate with municipalities.