New Delhi: The Modi government is looking to bring out a booklet as part of the over-a-year-long commemoration planned to mark the completion of 75 years of Indian Independence in 2022, which is being referred to as “Bharat Ka Amrut Mahotsav”, ThePrint has learnt.
The booklet will highlight the projects the government seeks to complete by the end of this year, according to a letter written to all secretaries by Press Information Bureau (PIB) Principal Director General K.S. Dhatwalia.
Dated 14 January, the letter, accessed by ThePrint, asks ministries and departments to provide detailed information and pictures of the projects they are expecting to complete by 31 December 2021.
This includes the names of the projects, their date of announcement, their objectives and highlights, and the likely date of completion. The letter lays down 22 January as the deadline for submission of information.
Speaking to ThePrint, a senior government official said the PIB will put together the information from across ministries, and the Bureau of Outreach Communication (BOC) — another media unit under the Union Information & Broadcasting Ministry — will publish the booklet.
“The project is a brainchild of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has been tasked with collating the information and publishing the booklet,” the official added.
Earlier this month, the official said, the Cabinet Secretariat communicated to the I&B ministry that it should “coordinate the activity and expedite it”.
Also read: Modi govt prepares for 75th Independence Day, to keep big-ticket projects ready for showcase
India@75
India will complete 75 years as an Independent country on 15 August 2022. and the Modi government has reportedly asked ministries to begin “India@75” celebration events for the milestone from next month, 75 weeks before the 75th anniversary.
The booklet on development projects is part of this initiative.
Among other things, the government wants to dedicate key projects to the nation on or around 15 August 2022. In a communication to infrastructure and economic ministries in October last year, the Prime Minister’s Office requested them to identify and share projects or “deliverables” that could be dedicated to the nation on or around 15 August 2022.
“Projects, which are expected to be completed in the second half of 2022 maybe expedited, to the extent possible, so as to advance the completion date on or before August 15, 2022,” the PMO letter said.
PM Modi has, in the past talked about creating a “New India” by 2022.
In October 2018, Niti Aayog prepared a vision document ‘Strategy for New India @75’ with an aim to make India poverty-free and corruption-free by 2022.
Modi govt booklets
The aforementioned PIB booklet is the latest of many brought out or planned by the Modi government to highlight its achievements and initiatives.
Another booklet the government seeks to list the major reforms brought in by different ministries since 2014, when the Modi government first came to power. The decisions to be highlighted will include the farm laws, the scrapping of Article 370, and the National Education Policy.
Last month, the BOC came out with a booklet named ‘Putting Farmers First’ that sought to highlight the reforms introduced by the government through the new farm laws, and other steps taken by the Modi administration for the “welfare of farmers”.
In September 2019, I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar released a booklet, ‘Jan Connect’, containing a compendium of key decisions of the government in the first 100 days of its second term.
Also read: Why India’s prime ministers give their Independence day speech from Delhi’s Red Fort
First time in Indian history, we have a working Prime Minister,
Thank you Modiji ??