PM Narendra Modi plans big birthday bash for differently-abled people

NEW DELHI: The government is eyeing Guinness Book of Records on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 66th birthday this Saturday. In a major initiative in his home state Gujarat, Modi would distribute assistive aids and appliances in Navsari to 11,000 differently-abled persons – the highest ever number in the world.

In the run-up to the grand ceremony, the government is eyeing three more Guinness records on the eve. These include 1,000 oil lamps lit by differently-abled at one time, a formation by 1,000 wheelchair-bound persons and distribution of hearing aid to 1,000 beneficiaries.

Lighting 1,000 oil lamps by differently-abled would be the first such attempt in the world. So far, the record of a formation by wheelchair-bound persons is held in US by 346 differentlyabled.

India would try and break the record held in Australia when 500 persons were given hearing aids. Speaking to ET, department of empowerment of persons with disabilities joint secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi said, “We are attempting this record ceremony to bring awareness and change the mindset of the people.We have conducted three surveys to get over 11,000 beneficiaries in this area.”

The department worked closely with the district administration headed by collector Ravi Arora, who is himself differently-abled.

Modi, alongwith social justice and empowerment minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot and area BJP MP C R Patil, would be giving tricycles, wheelchairs, cerebral palsy chair, multi sensory integrated educational development (MSIED) kit, calipers and prosthesis and loan cheques to 11,223 beneciaries in Navsari.

The government would distribute assistive aids worth Rs 7.5 crore. The government had missed the record in January earlier this year in Prime Minister’s constituency Varanasi. Even then assistive aids and appliances had been distributed to 10,200 beneficiaries but the Guinness Book of Records officials had raised some objections on the way videography was done. This time the government is not taking any chances.

The event would be videographed properly and Guinness observers from UK would be watching and counting closely.