Gandhi's vision must reach the youth, says Himachal CM

Speaking on the second meeting of the National Level Organizing Committee for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur has proposed to spread awareness on Mahatma Gandhi's vision of life through different programmes. He further said that youth should involve in those activities to realise the importance of Gandhi.

New Delhi:Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur participated in the meeting of the National Level Organizing Committee for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi on Thursday.

Under the surveillance of President Ram Nath Kovind, the meeting was conducted where Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also presented.

While discussing, Jai Ram Thakur suggested that on 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a statue of the latter should be placed like the statue of unity and the clay will be collected from all of those places where the father of the nation was once visited.

Thakur further said that the youth should involve in such activities so that they can realise the importance of Gandhi.

Thakur said that the state government should conduct awareness programmes on Gandhi. Besides this, he said that essay, painting, debate competitions are being organised in educational institutions as well as street plays, screenings of short films, poets' conferences and other cultural activities.

He said that Gandhiji's ideas have a great impact on social change. As the state governments have already made Swachhta Abhiyan its top priority to spread cleanliness across the country. He said that two dustbins have been installed in 3000 schools and 100 colleges. Besides this, the Centre has declared the banning of plastic across the country.

He said that self-help groups are being encouraged to make jute bags from leaves and paper as an alternative to plastic to reduce pollution and create new employment opportunities for local people.

He said that Antyodaya Mission is being implemented on its priority to ensure the development of rural areas in the state and Gram Panchayats which have been made the main centre for convergence of various activities.

Thakur said that various schemes like Housing Scheme, Himcare Scheme, Skill Development, Ayush and Ujjwala Yojana are being implemented for the development of poor and needy.

He provided the data of 30,593 people benefited under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 4.84 lakh beneficiaries were registered under Ayush Bharat Pradhan Mantri Yojana and 5,50,000 beneficiaries were registered under Himcare Scheme. In the last two years, 3.50 lakh gas connections were given to the people by the state government.

The Chief Minister said that under the various events for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the State Language, Arts and Culture Department organized exhibitions, screenings of short films, various activities including various publications and Bhajan Sandhya have been organized.