Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged the citizens to perform ‘shramadaan’ by undertaking cleanliness campaigns in temples and pilgrimage centres across the country ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

He made this appeal at Tapovan ground in Nashik, Maharashtra, where he inaugurated the 27th National Youth Festival.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi took part in ‘Swachhata Abhiyan’ on Friday at the Kalaram temple in Nashik and mopped the floor. He also offered prayers and listened to the verses of ‘Bhavartha Ramayana’ written in Marathi by Sant Eknath.

He also took part in a puja at Ramkund.

While addressing the Rashtriya Yuva Mahotsav, the Prime Minister appealed to people to carry out cleanliness drives at temples across the country.

Calling ‘Amrit Kaal’ the golden era for youth of the country, PM Modi said India was among the top 5 economies of the world due to the power of youth.

“India is among the top 3 start-up systems in the world. India is making new innovations, India is filing record patents…the youth of the country is behind all of this…Amrit Kaal is a golden era for the youth of the country,” PM Modi said.

(With inputs from PTI)