Instructions to celebrate Independence Day by following all the rules prohibiting corona.
The 74th anniversary of Indian Independence Day will be celebrated on Sunday 15th August 2021. The government has passed orders under ‘Break the Chain’ on June 4, 2021, to break the chain of coronavirus. Like last year, instructions have been given to organize Independence Day in the state this year as well. The General Administration Department of the State Government has directed that strict observance of the instructions given by the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare should be taken while observing the event.
Independence Day should be celebrated by hoisting flags at all divisional, district, sub-divisional, taluka headquarters and gram panchayat headquarters in the state. Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Nashik, Amravati and Konkan Divisional Commissioners should make appropriate arrangements for holding flag hoisting ceremonies at their respective divisions as well as at the district headquarters. The main government function of the state will be celebrated by the Chief Minister at Mantralaya in Mumbai at 9.05 am by hoisting the flag. The flag will be hoisted by the Governor at Pune. The concerned Guardian Minister will hoist the flag at the Divisional and District Headquarters. The main flag hoisting ceremony should be held simultaneously across the state at 9.05 am. No flag hoisting or any other government or semi-government function should be held on this day from 8.35 am to 9.35 am. If an office or organization wants to hold its own flag hoisting ceremony, it should do so before 8.35 am or after 9.35 am. The national anthem should be played while saluting the national flag. The band that is ready for the opening should play before and after the opening. The theme of the speeches should be to emphasize the importance of Independence Day and motivate the audience to work for the unity and integrity of the country.
If the flag hoisting Minister, Minister of State is unable to reach the venue on time due to some unavoidable reasons, the Divisional Commissioner at the Divisional Headquarters and the District Collector at the District Headquarters should ensure that the flag hoisting program goes smoothly. The concerned Provincial Officers and Tehsildars will hoist the flag at the Sub-Divisional Headquarters and Taluka Headquarters and the Sarpanch or Village Head at the Gram Panchayat Headquarters respectively. Local people’s representatives, freedom fighters, wives of martyred soldiers and their parents as well as corona warriors like doctors, cleaners, health workers and some citizens who have overcome the disease should be invited. Considering the background of Coronavirus, the entire Independence Day program will be held in compliance with all the rules regarding social distance, the entire responsibility will be on the organizers, the organizers should take action to invite dignitaries accordingly. All those attending the ceremony should wear national costumes. The mask is mandatory for all. Strict observance of all the rules of safe conduct and live coverage of the ceremony should be done through the website so that more and more citizens can watch it at home.
The slogan ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ should be spread through this program and social media. Debate competitions, quizzes, patriotic essays and poetry competitions should be organized throughout the day such as tree planting, inter-school, inter-college level through the online system. An important plan should be launched. Organize patriotic songs and speeches of selected students through social media. Electrical lighting should be provided on government buildings, a webinar on a subject should be organized, patriotic online campaigns should be conducted by NSS and NYKS, patriotic or national unity songs should be promoted through social media and digital media, the message should be given It has also appealed for necessary action to be taken in view of Independence Day celebrations.
National flags should be hoisted on all public and government buildings in the state as well as on forts of historical importance (eg Raigad, Sinhagad, Shivneri, Purandar, Vasai, Pratapgad, Daulatabad, Sitabardi). Care should be taken to strictly follow the instructions given under Government Circular dated 20th March 1991, 5th December 1991 and 11th March 1998 regarding the proper method of hoisting the National Flag. Care should also be taken to conduct colourful training in flag hoisting. Care should also be taken that the national flag is in good condition and will be lowered at sunset. As the Divisional Commissioners of Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Nashik and Amravati will arrange the flag hoisting ceremony at their headquarters, there is no need for the District Collectors to hold separate programs. The Konkan Divisional Commissioner will arrange the function at Konkan Bhavan. Mumbai City Collector is not required to carry out flag hoisting proceedings.
Although such general instructions have been given, considering the positivity rate of Kovid 19, the concerned Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors have organized ceremonies keeping in view the importance of Independence Day in their respective jurisdictions.