Surat (Gujarat) [India], September 16 : Union Minister and Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil on Tuesday announced a series of nationwide "Sewa" (service) initiatives to mark key occasions in September, including on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17.
Speaking to ANI in Surat, Patil highlighted Surat's achievement of being declared the cleanest city in India for the first time and said that 6,000 sanitation workers will be honoured.
Apart from this, Paatil said that various welfare and service programs will be held across the country between September 17 and October 2, which is Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.
"September 17 is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. Various initiatives of Sewa will begin at different places across the country. October 2 is Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, and September 25 is Deendayal's birth anniversary as well. During this period, various types of programs will be organised by the party in Gujarat and across the country," he said
"This time, for the first time, Surat has received the award for being the cleanest city in the entire country... For this, I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for guiding us... On his birthday, September 17, a program has been organised this time in Surat to honour the 6,000 sanitation workers of the city. The families of all sanitation workers have been invited for this...," he added.
Apart from this, Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel inaugurated the blood donation camp in Gandhinagar on Tuesday ahead of PM Modi's 75th birthday.
BJP is organising nationwide blood donation camps as part of the two-week-long 'Sewa Pakhwada' to celebrate the Prime Minister's birthday. The party has planned various events, including a cleanliness drive, 'ek ped maa ke naam' program, and exhibitions across the country highlighting the achievements of PM Modi.
According to the state health minister, more than one lakh state government employees have registered for the camp to help with the drive.
"It is PM Modi's birthday tomorrow on 17 September. This Blood donation camp is organised on the same occasion. 1,27,000 employees of the state have registered. State employees will donate blood through this special campaign," Patel said.