Cleanliness is linked to women's safety, respect: PM Modi

"Cleanliness is a problem in our country and is linked to our mindset and when I talk of the Swachhta Abhiyan, I have the poor in mind. The World Bank says that a poor man spends an estimated Rs. 7000 per year for his medicines," the Prime Minister said in reply to the Motion of Thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee's address in the Lok Sabha.

"Cleanliness is also linked to respect for women. Even today, our mothers and sisters have to relieve themselves in the open. They have to wait for the dark. Girls are forced to leave schools because there are no toilets for them. It is not a question of blaming anyone: it is of finding a solution," he added.

Prime Minister Modi also addressed the accusations by members of the opposition with regards to the naming of projects.

"Some people have accused us of just changing the names of projects and of rebranding them. We can argue over whether the scheme is new or old but there is no disagreement over the fact that the problem is an old one," he said.