NEW DELHI, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The "Swachh Bharat" (Clean India) mission initiated by the Indian government five years ago has reduced the groundwater contamination in many villages in the country, a study conducted by the UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) has found.
The nation-wide campaign, which was launched in 2014, has been a key project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
The UNICEF study is based on ground reports from three states -- Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal.
The UNICEF study found that the supportive systems such as regular monitoring and behaviour change messaging, have also been critical aspects of the "Clean India" Mission.
The country's Water Resources Minister Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that cleanliness affects all aspects of the environment -- be it groundwater, surface water, soil or air -- as well as the health and well-being of the Indian people.
