PM Modi to chair National Committee meet on March 8 commemorating 75th Independence Day

The first meeting of the National Committee to commemorate India's 75th Independence Day will be held on March 8, 2021, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

The Union government had constituted a National Committee to celebrate 75 years of the country's Independence. The Centre has also formed a National Implementation Committee and a Committee of Secretaries to guide the programs that will be undertaken by various Ministries.

READ | Centre Forms Committee Headed By PM Modi To Commemorate the 75th Anniversary Of Independence

259 eminent citizens to be part of the National Committee

Headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new committee consists of 259 eminent citizens from different walks of life as members. This includes multiple Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and Governors of various states, ex-President Pratibha Patil, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, former PM HD Deve Gowda, Bharat Ratna awardees Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Amartya Sen, and CNR Rao, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. 

The mandate of the committee will be to provide policy direction and guidelines for the formulation of programs to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Independence at the national and international level in the form of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. While its term commences with immediate effect, it will have the powers to co-opt members.

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The Government has said it will be launched on March 12, seventy-five weeks prior to August 15, 2022. Incidentally, this day marks the 91st anniversary of the Salt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi. Thus, the first meeting of the National Committee will be held on March 8 to discuss the modalities for the preparatory activities under the commemoration. 

PM Modi's thrust on 'New India'

On multiple occasions, PM Modi has elaborated on his vision for India on 75 years of Independence. During his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2017, he said, “If each one of us, irrespective of where he belongs to, strives with a new resolve, new energy, a new strength, we can change the face of the country with our combined strength in the 75th year of our independence in 2022. It will be the New India – a secure, prosperous, and strong nation. A New India where there is equal opportunity for all; where modern science and technology play an important role in bringing glory for the nation in the global arena.” 

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(With PTI inputs)