PM Modi will celebrate his 76th birthday on 17 September. The BJP is observing the day as Seva Diwas. The occasion is also being linked to the completion of 25 years of Modi’s public life. As part of this, the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ will be held across the country from 17 September to 17 October.
The BJP has appealed to citizens to light an ‘Aashirwad ka Diya’ in the Prime Minister’s name in their homes. In addition, programmes related to service and public participation will be held. The Seva Sankalp Bike Yatra will begin from Vadnagar and Varanasi. Beneficiaries’ programmes, blood donation drives, cleanliness drives and other events will be held in different states.
Preparations are in their final stages at several places today, 16 September. Four sub-journeys that have already set out from Gujarat will reach PM Modi’s birthplace, Vadnagar, by tonight. More than 25 lakh lamps will be lit in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. In Mumbai, 10 prominent locations, including the Gateway of India, will be illuminated with lights.
Gujarat: Bike yatra to begin from Vadnagar
The ‘Vadnagar to Varanasi’ Seva Sankalp bike journey will begin from the Prime Minister’s birthplace, Vadnagar, at 9:30 am on 17 September. A journey will also set off from Varanasi. Around 1,000 young people will take part from both ends. The journey will pass through 193 districts and around 1,159 villages across 10 states. Covering around 40,000 km, it is scheduled to conclude on 7 October.
Today, sub-journeys setting out from four zones of Gujarat will reach Vadnagar. These journeys began in Somnath, Shamlaji, Pavagadh and Navsari. Along the way, programmes such as tree planting, cleanliness drives, outreach to students and interactions with beneficiaries of government schemes have been held.
Madhya Pradesh: More than 25 lakh lamps to be lit in Ujjain
Preparations are under way to light more than 25 lakh lamps along the ghats of the Shipra river and in the Mahakal Lok area in Ujjain on 17 September. A large-scale lamp-lighting programme has been proposed in the city to mark the Prime Minister’s birthday.
West Bengal: 50,000 beneficiaries to gather in Kolkata
Preparations are under way to gather around 50,000 Annapurna Yojana beneficiaries at Kolkata’s Boi Mela Ground on 17 September. According to a state government official, the Prime Minister is likely to address the programme via video conference. Lamps will also be lit at several ghats in Kolkata.
Mumbai: 10 key locations to be illuminated
Ten key locations in Mumbai are scheduled to be illuminated on 17 September. These include the Gateway of India, Aarey Colony, Banganga, Girgaum Chowpatty, Bandra Bandstand and Sanjay Gandhi National Park, among others. The Mumbai BJP has made this part of the month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’.
Mizoram: Campaign to begin with blood donation
The ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ will be held in Mizoram from 17 September to 17 October. It will begin with a blood donation drive on 17 September. The ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ programme is scheduled for 7 p.m. In addition, painting and speech competitions will be held for students, along with programmes to honour Anganwadi and ASHA workers.
