Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and a Charkha installation, as a mark of tribute to the Father of the Nation on his Jayanti, at Civil Secretariat.

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“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.

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

Paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the Lt Governor said the ideals of Bapu are for all 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,” the Lt Governor said.

The Lt Governor reiterated the commitment of the UT Administration to develop the 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 their new innings from villages. In terms of basic facilities, the gaps between village and the city are disappearing, the Lt Governor said.

Following the ideals of Pujya Bapu, J&K in 2021-22 had established 21,640 manufacturing and service units in the villages with the help of KVIC, providing employment to more than 1.73 Lakh. In the last Financial Year, more than 10,628 new 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 Charkha. He also called for collective efforts by all the stakeholders for 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 said.

Dr Hina Shafi Bhat, Vice Chairperson, KVIB; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Sh R K Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; Administrative Secretaries and senior officers of UT and Police administration also paid their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.