New Delhi: The government on Monday announced allocation of Rs 9,000 crore for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the country's biggest drive to improve sanitation and cleanliness, especially in rural India.

"This (cleanliness) subject was very close to the heart of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. The government has allocated Rs 9,000 crore for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said while presenting the general Budget for 2016-17 in Lok Sahha.