Year-long celebrations to mark India's 75th Independence Day in 2021

India will launch year-long celebrations from August 2021 to commemorate 75 years of Independence with a slew of programmes and projects to showcase 'development, governance, technology, reform, progress and policy' over the years. The Prime Minister’s Office has initiated an exhaustive exercise to frame a plan to commemorate the 75th year of Indian Independence. According to highly-placed sources, the year-long grand celebrations are likely to be kicked off on August 15, 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Red Fort. All central ministries and departments have been asked to identify 10 projects that would be implemented to showcase India’s “development, governance, technology reforms, progress and policy”.

On the table are a host of projects ranging from energy efficient street lighting to command and control centres in all 100 smart cities to garbage-free 2,022 cities and the skilling programme for migrant workers. The ministries have lined up projects which would be completed by August 2022 and inaugurated by Modi during the celebratory year. Smart City Mission has identified 163 projects worth Rs 20,404 crore to be inaugurated in the 75th year. Even Swachh Bharat Mission has lined up declaration of 2,022 cities as ODF++ in the year 2022.

Sources said the mega initiatives include installation of 75 solar trees in open areas, development of 10 selected parks as Platinum Jubilee Model Parks, Green Country Campaign planting 75,000 medicinal and fruit bearing plants, Global Tech Festival to showcase all technologies being used in India, lake redevelopment projects, development of river fronts, smart schools and digital libraries.


The culture ministry will be the nodal ministry for coordinating programmes like events at India Gate, special marathons and cultural evenings at various cities which played a role in India’s freedom struggle. The culmination event could be a special session of Parliament in the newly-constructed Parliament building. “It depends on the final plan. The new Parliament building is expected to be ready by August 2022,” a senior official involved in the preparatory meetings, who did not wish to be identified, told ET. “The winter session would certainly be held there. Before that there could be a special session.”