Narendra Modi
Narendra ModiReuters File

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited people of India to compose Swachh Bharat theme songs and participating in the contest, which ends on Saturday, 27 September.

The Swachh Bharat or Clean India movement has been initiated by Modi to be launched on Gandhi Jayanthi, which falls on 2 October, to "realise Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India."

"For this, it is felt that a good song that captures the essence of the Swachh Bharat initiative and at the same time inspires the people of India to join the movement must be composed. To begin with, write the lyrics of the song in Hindi and after that it would be recreated in other languages," the website said.

Modi aims to make India clean by 2019, when the country will celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birthday.

"On 2 October we are launching Swachh Bharat Mission, a massive mass movement that seeks to create a Clean India. Cleanliness was very close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart. A clean India is the best tribute we can pay to Bapu when we celebrate his 150th birth anniversary in 2019," a statement by the Prime Minister Office said.

While inviting people across the nation to compose songs for the movement, Modi has also urged everyone including mayors and politicians to devote themselves towards cleanliness of the nation.

"I urge everyone of you to devote at least hundred hours every year, that is two hours every week towards cleanliness... Today, I appeal to everyone, particularly political and religious leadership, mayors, sarpanchs and captains of industry to plan and wholeheartedly engage in the task of cleaning your homes, work places, villages, cities and surroundings," the PMO statement read.