Ruskin Bond, the renowned Indian author has said that India has become much cleaner after the Swacch Bharat Mission, a flagship programme of the Modi government, even as he cautioned about that old habits take time to change.?

Bond, known for his literary collections like the Room on the Roof and Mr Oliver's Diary, was addressing an audience at the inauguration of the second edition of the Tata Steel Jharkhand Literary Meet (JLM) in Ranchi on Saturday, along with another noted author Uday Prakash.

"Due to the Modi governments Swachchta Abhiyan different cities have become cleaner than earlier, Bond said.

However, the problem is that the people return to their old habits and it would take time to change that, Bond added.

Bond said that when he visited Jamshedpur last Friday, he was amazed to see how clean and beautiful the steel city was. He felt the same when he visited Ranchi on Saturday.

On Sunday, Bond will discuss his experience of writing for children at the literary meet.

Hindi poet and author Uday Prakash emphasised the importance of literary meets such as JLM as important conduits to support and recognise literary talent from smaller towns
and cities in India.

PTI