Fifty workers each involved in constructing the Amrit Sarovar, those from ‘Har Ghar Jal Yojana’, labourers constructing border roads, ‘Shramyogis’ or workers involved in construction of Central Vista project and the new Parliament building, beneficiaries of ‘PM-Kisan’ and ‘PM-Vikas’ schemes, and 250 farmer producer organisations are on the list of ‘special guests’ who have been invited along with their spouses to the upcoming Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, News18 has learnt.
This year will be the first since the pandemic broke out in March 2020 that arrangements for Independence Day are being done at a large scale. A large gathering for the event was avoided last year too, following Covid-19 protocol.
According to officials, the different categories of ‘special guests’ will be seated in dedicated enclosures on the day of the event. “A list of ‘special guests’ also includes 50 nurses, 50 fishermen, 301 sarpanches of the vibrant villages, 50 khadi workers and 50 primary school teachers. They also have been invited along with their spouses and special arrangements will be made for them,” said an official who did not wish to be named.
The Centre has decided to make a logo of G-20 at Gyanpath in North Delhi. “The theme of India’s 74th Republic Day this January had commoners such as ‘Shramyogis’ of Central Vista, Kartavya Path, new Parliament Building, milk, vegetable and street vendors etc instead of any high-profile guests, which was appreciated by everyone. Hence, on I-Day too, it was decided to have guests from among those who have been working for nation-building such as teachers, health workers, construction workers, rural workforce among others,” the official said.
One such pool of contributors is the Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), who organised under the Ministry of Agriculture to help improve local produce and economy while allowing farmers to have direct benefits.
Rajendran K, CEO of Viruthai Millets Farmer Producer Company Ltd, Tamil Nadu, is also one of the invitees. Speaking to News18, he said: “I received e-mails as well as several phone calls from government officials in the first week of July to invite me over for I-day celebrations at Red Fort this year and we have been coordinating since. At first, I thought the phone call was for some agricultural conference, but I couldn’t have imagined that they actually wanted us to participate in the event. It’s a nice feeling to be a special guest this way. It’s the government’s way of recognising our efforts of contributing to the economy.”
He added that he, along with chairpersons and CEOs of several other FPOs, will stay in the national capital for three days during the Independence Day celebrations.
According to officials preparing for the mega event, all departments concerned have been asked to inform the special guests about the protocol and submit their identification cards to the Ministry of Defence for accreditation cards.
“Many of them are coming from other states so all departments concerned have been asked to make proper arrangements for their stay and travel to and fro. It’s to ensure that they won’t face any problem in attending the event,” the official said.
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