For the role in ‘The Dirty picture’ Vidya Balan won the national award and now she will be in a new role to give the nation a clean picture as brand ambassador to government’s sanitation programme, Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.

Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi met Ms. Balan and he is all convinced for making her as ambassador to spread awareness about the drinking water and sanitation campaign.

Ms. Balan said, “For an actor, what can be a better thing than doing a dirty picture on screen and off screen a clean picture? I think this role will work a lot because we are working on a national movement.”

She also said, “I think it is a matter great honour for me, becoming the brand ambassador of sanitation campaign. It needs to become a national obsession. I am ready to (do it) in my capacity. I am convinced.”

Ms. Balan will be the first brand ambassador for Rural Development Ministry.

She will appear in ad campaigns to spread the construction and use of toilets, women’s health, security, drinking water, sanitation and to put an end to open defecation.

She will campaign for two years completely without taking remuneration in the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (earlier, The Total Sanitation Campaign).

Mr. Ramesh also added,  “Vidya’s involvement in the campaign will help make it a national obsession.”

According to UNICEF-WHO Joint Monitoring Programme Report 2010, 60% of India’s 1.1 billion people are practicing open defecation.

Mr. Ramesh stated,  “This (the sanitation campaign) is going to be a people’s programme and we are going to make it a social movement.”

Actor Shahrukh Khan will also take part in propagating construction and use of toilets by all, habits of hand washing, personal hygiene and managing waste. (msn)