Union minister Prakash Javadekar (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday announced that a massive campaign will be launched to make India free of single-use plastic .

Javadekar made this announcement at Sau Paulo in Brazil, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on Thursday urged people to shun single-use plastic and encouraged the use of jute and cloth bags to protect the environment.

Addressing a gathering during an Independence Day function organised by the Indian consulate in Sao Paulo, Javadekar, who holds the charge of environment ministry, said,"In response to Prime Minister's call on India's 73rd Independence Day, a massive public campaign will be launched engaging all stakeholders."

In this regard, a series of meetings will be held with all stakeholders, including state governments, to chalk out a concrete plan to make it a people's campaign, Javadekar was quoted in an official statement issued by the Environment Ministry here in the national capital.

Talking about Modi's speech, Javadekar said the Prime Minister had laid out the vision for the next five years and highlighted the first 75 days of the present government, which, according to him, were highly productive with historic decisions on the triple talaq and Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

"Prime Minister in his speech has laid a roadmap for five years. I am sure under his dynamic leadership, India would become a 5-trillion dollar economy sooner than later," the statement said quoting Javadekar, who is in Brazil to attend the ministerial meetings of the Brics and BASIC countries.

