By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 12 Aug: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a goal of making India a developed nation by 2047. In this context, the theme of the 78th Independence Day is ‘Developed India’. To achieve the goal of developed India, many departments of the country and states are doing remarkable work and many needy people are getting benefited from the welfare schemes run by various departments. Like last year, this year also Government of India has invited about 6000 ‘special guests’ from all over the nation to New Delhi on the occasion of Independence Day. About 110 beneficiaries of various central government schemes of Uttarakhand and people doing notable work in the departments will witness the 78th Independence Day celebrations as special guests at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on 15 August. Beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, National Rural Livelihood Mission Atal Innovation Mission, Lakhpati Didi Yojana, public welfare schemes of NITI Aayog, Anganwadi workers, ANM-ASHA workers, Border Roads Organisation workers, beneficiaries of scjemes run by Panchayati Raj and Tribal Ministry have been invited as ‘special guests’.
Dhana Devi, a resident of Jamuwakhal village of Kapkot block of Bageshwar district, has received an invitation from the Government of India to attend the Independence Day celebrations. Dhana said that she was very happy to receive the invitation. She added that the government has launched many schemes for the uplift of women, due to which women are benefiting today. She said that she runs a self-help group taking advantage of government schemes, in which she has given employment to about 500 women. She said that government schemes have an important role in this regard.
Narendra Singh, a resident of village Mandai, Dugadda, Pauri Garhwal, has also expressed happiness over the invitation received from the Government of India and thanked the government. Narendra is a beneficiary of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and is excited to hear Prime Minister Modi in person from the Red Fort. Supriya Chand, a resident of Dehradun and gender specialist in the Women and Child Development Department, and 10 Anganwadi workers working with her have also been invited to New Delhi for the Independence Day programme. She said that Anganwadi workers have played an important role in increasing the sex ratio in Uttarakhand and that is why they have received the invitation.
Pooja Rana, an ANM posted at Naugaon Community Health Centre in Uttarkashi, is also very happy with the invitation for Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi. She said that hearing the Prime Minister in person is like a golden opportunity. Pushkar Singh and Yashwant Singh, workers of the Border Roads Organisation, have also left for New Delhi after receiving the invitation. They said that they work on building roads on the country’s borders and are going to Delhi for the first time. Both are excited to see the Independence Day programme at the Red Fort.
Under the Atal Innovation Mission, school children have also been invited on Independence Day this time. Khatima teacher Sangeeta Batra and her students have left for New Delhi. Expressing gratitude to the Government of India, Batra said that such invitations generate enthusiasm in children and they get to see new things and their confidence also gets strengthened. She said that getting an invitation for such a big platform is a matter of pride. Pavitra Rana, a beneficiary of Lakhpati Didi Yojana of Baghauri village of Udham Singh Nagar, is running her self-help centre named Pragati and has given employment to many women in it. Rana says that she started her self-employment with a mere investment of Rs 100. Today, with the help of schemes, it has reached a bigger scale. Expressing happiness over the invitation to Delhi, she thanked Government of India.
Gram Pradhan Mamta and her husband Laxman Singh from the remote village, Nankudi in the border district Pithoragarh, have also been invited to participate in the Independence Day celebrations. They were also invited for the celebrations of 26 January, 2024. Mamta said that, as the head, she is trying to take development to her border village. She and her husband thanked Government of India for this invitation. The Government of India has also invited people doing good work through self-help groups in the tribal areas of Uttarakhand. Pyaro Devi and Prabha Devi, residents of Kalsi, Dehradun, have thanked the government for the Delhi invitation. Pyaro said that she is associated with the self-help group under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, due to which she has become self-reliant and empowered. Kalsi resident Prabha Devi said that she runs a centre named Vandhan in which she has provided employment to nearly 300 women. She is thankful to the Government of India for inviting her to Delhi.
