Addressing reporters after a meeting of BJP national office-bearers and a workshop involving state presidents and organisational general secretaries, Tawde said the campaign will build on the party’s annual ‘Seva Pakhwada’ held around Prime Minister Modi’s birthday on September 17.
“Every year, the Bharatiya Janata Party observes Seva Pakhwada across the country around the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17. Modi ji’s personality is such that he is engaged in service every moment. Naturally, for the past few years, the BJP has been observing Seva Pakhwada around September 17,” Tawde said.
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He said this year has special significance as October 7 will mark 25 years since Modi took oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001.
“This year, there is a coincidence that on October 7, 2001, Narendra Modi took oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. This October 7 will mark 25 years of that occasion. Therefore, the BJP has decided that while we observe Seva Pakhwada around his birthday, keeping this 25-year milestone in mind, we will conduct a month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan across the country,” he said.
Tawde said the campaign will feature several activities highlighting the spirit of service and will include programmes traditionally organised by the BJP during Seva Pakhwada.”Modi ji’s personality has the spirit of service as an important element. Keeping that in mind, there will be several activities throughout this campaign. The programmes that the party conducts during Seva Pakhwada will also be undertaken,” he said.
Elaborating on the ‘Seva Setu Abhiyan’, Tawde said the initiative will help people who may have been left out of various government welfare schemes due to documentation or other difficulties.
“If someone has been left out of any scheme started during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, there should be an opportunity for that person to access the benefit. Under the Seva Setu Abhiyan, for 15 days, at the block level, people from the departments concerned with various schemes will remain present along with the necessary documents,” Tawde said.
“Suppose my name was left out of Ayushman. I can come there, fill out the form and my name can be added to Ayushman. If my name could not be included in the PM-Kisan Samman scheme due to some difficulty, I can come on these days and avail of the opportunity,” he added.
“There are different government schemes whose benefits should reach everyone. If someone has been left out for some reason, they will get an opportunity through the Seva Setu Abhiyan at the block level to connect themselves with these schemes,” he said.
Tawde also announced a ‘National Innovation Challenge’ aimed at encouraging young people to develop solutions to local problems through research and innovation.
“If young people who are conducting research and applying their intelligence are given innovation challenges, they can work on them and come up with solutions. Such an innovation challenge competition can be organised for youth from different fields at the block, district and state levels,” he said.
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“The problems of a particular area can be placed before these young people, and they can be asked what solutions they can come up with. Such programmes under the Innovation Challenge are planned to be organised in several major states,” Tawde said.
Tawde said the BJP will conduct workshops at the state and district levels in the coming days to plan the implementation of the month-long campaign.
“Today, a national-level workshop was held by the Bharatiya Janata Party. In the coming week, such workshops will be held in the states by August 31. Over the next five to seven days, similar workshops will be organised at the district level,” he said.
“The planning will be done at the state and district levels on what can be undertaken during this month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan. The BJP workers will work to take this campaign successfully down to the block and booth levels and ensure that it reaches as many people as possible,” Tawde added.
As part of the campaign, the BJP will organise an ‘Anganwadi Samman and Matru Samvad’ programme to honour women working at Anganwadi centres and recognise their contribution towards children’s nutrition.
“The government announces schemes, but at the grassroots level, it is the Anganwadi workers who take these initiatives to the last child and household. Therefore, an Anganwadi Samman and Matru Samvad programme will be organised,” Tawde said.
“Across the country, there are more than 14 lakh Anganwadi centres. Party workers will reach these centres and honour the Anganwadi workers who work with a spirit of service,” he added.
Tawde also announced the ‘Seva Mein Mera Yogdan’ initiative, under which people, particularly youngsters, will be encouraged to participate in acts of service and share their experiences through reels.
“We will especially appeal to the youth and other people to undertake an act of service during this month-long campaign and make a reel about it. Such an act of service can naturally inspire others as well,” he said.
He cited cleanliness drives, tree plantation and contributing to the government’s TB eradication campaign as examples of service activities.
“We will especially encourage the youth to make reels under ‘Seva Mein Mera Yogdan’. At the district level, these reels can be promoted by the state organisation so that they inspire others,” Tawde said.
