Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniv: Govt plans grand function at Sabarmati riverfront on Oct 2

The government plans to hold a "grand function" at Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, during which a commemorative coin and postage stamps will be released.

The programme on October 2 is one of the several events planned to mark the occasion, a statement issued by the government on Friday said.

Also, plans are afoot to unveil Gandhi busts in 54 countries.

The statement said a meeting of the Executive Committee for commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of the father of the nation was held here on Friday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, were present in the meeting. Also, eight eminent Gandhians, who are members of the committee, were also in attendance.

Following the prime minister's call in his monthly radio address 'Mann ki Baat' to recycle accumulated plastic waste by Diwali this year, awareness generation across 4,000 towns and 6 lakh villages will be held from October 1 and preparations will be made for collection and disposal of plastic waste.

Besides the programme at Ahmedabad, a nation-wide 'shramdaan' event to collect plastic waste in all gram panchayats, urban local bodies, schools, railways and on highways will be organised on October 2, the statement said.