Gandhinagar, Aug 2 (IANS) Gandhinagar marked its 62nd Foundation Day on Sunday with a series of environmental and public welfare initiatives led by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at Koba Lake, where he planted a tree under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
The Chief Minister also inspected a rainwater recharge well developed under the ‘Catch the Rain’ initiative and distributed benefits to recipients of various government schemes.
The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation organised the event around environmental conservation, groundwater recharge and welfare delivery, aligning the celebrations with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-inspired campaigns ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ and ‘Catch the Rain’.
During the programme, Patel planted a sapling at the Koba Lake premises and visited the recharge well installed to harvest rainwater.
According to the municipal corporation, the recharge well has the capacity to scientifically filter and channel between 15 and 20 litres of rainwater per minute into groundwater, contributing to efforts to improve groundwater levels.
As part of a wider afforestation initiative, the civic body announced plans to plant 14,000 native trees across the city, including peepal, banyan, mango and jamun.
Of these, 4,000 saplings will be planted at Koba Lake and 10,000 at Bhat. The Chief Minister also distributed benefits under several government schemes.
Three sanitation workers were honoured with the ‘Best Sanitation Worker’ award for their contribution to maintaining cleanliness in the city. Each received a cash award of Rs 10,000, taking the total prize amount to Rs 30,000.
Under the PM SVANidhi Scheme, loan assistance worth Rs 2.55 lakh was distributed to eight beneficiaries to support small traders and street vendors. Four beneficiaries received the assistance during the event.
Patel presented nutrition kits to three beneficiaries under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Supplementary Nutrition Scheme, which aims to address malnutrition among adolescent girls, children and pregnant women.
The municipal corporation said that the nutrition kits would also be distributed to 1,500 mothers across the city as part of the Foundation Day celebrations.
Two beneficiaries received Ayushman Bharat cards to facilitate access to cashless healthcare services. In support of the TB-Free India campaign, two tuberculosis patients were provided with nutrition kits containing protein and other essential nutrients.
Examination preparation book kits were also distributed to schools in the city to assist students preparing for government competitive examinations.
Gandhinagar Mayor Mira Patel, MLA Rita Patel, the Deputy Mayor, senior leader Ashish Dave, Municipal Commissioner J. S. Prajapati, other elected representatives, government officials and beneficiaries also attended the event.
–IANS
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