Mahatma Gandhi’s statue unveiled in J&K Civil Secretariat on his 154th birth anniversary

Srinagar, Oct 02 (PTI) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi and a Charkha’ installation as a mark of tribute to the Father of the Nation on his birth anniversary, at the Civil Secretariat here.

“Pujya Bapu always believed that the message of Charkha’s circumference is much broader than its tangible circumference. The goal of the Charkha’ is to serve mankind, to live without hurting others, to create an inseparable bond between the rich and the poor, capital and labour,” the Lt Governor said after unveiling of the statue.

Sinha said Charkha’ was used as a significant tool by Gandhi in the fight against British rule. It is a symbol of Swadeshi movement, self-reliance and economic freedom, he said.

Sinha added that Gandhi’s ideals are for all of humanity. “I hope our officers, inspired by Bapu’s ideas and ideals, will continue to work dedicatedly for the dignity of every citizen in the society, for equality, social justice, and for a developed and self-reliant Jammu Kashmir,” he said.

The Lt Governor reiterated the commitment of the J&K administration to develop villages as the centre of socio-economic growth and transform the lives of the rural population.

“Today, villages in Jammu Kashmir are witnessing unprecedented growth due to the availability of various sources of income. New entrepreneurs are starting a new innings from villages. In terms of basic facilities, the gaps between village and the city are disappearing,” he said.

Following the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, in 2021-22, J&K established 21,640 manufacturing and service units in the villages with the help of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), providing employment to more than 1.73 lakh. In the last financial year, 10,628 more units had been installed, he added.

The Lt Governor congratulated the Jammu & Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) for the installation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and the Charkha’ installation. He also called for collective efforts by all the stakeholders for the promotion of swadeshi’ products.

“There is a need to promote city-based self-help groups engaged in Khadi, which has become a new fashion statement for youth,” he added.