GUWAHATI, Oct 2 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today formally hoisted India�s tallest National Flag (from the average city elevation) at Gandhi Mandap here.
The flag is a part of the �Refurbishment of Gandhi Mandap� project under Guwahati Smart City Limited and funded by the State Department of Industries and Commerce.
With a view to creating a place of pride and honour to the supreme sacrifices made by the citizens led by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom movement, the project of installation of the National Flag was conceived by the Chief Minister, who asked the Department of Industries and Commerce to carry the project forward.
Guwahati Smart City Limited was entrusted with the task of preparing the project document and supervising the implementation of the project. Accordingly, a concept-design to install a 319.5-foot-high monumental flag pole in Gandhi Mandap was presented and was approved by the government.
The construction work of pole and podium for the flag was carried out by Bajaj Electricals Limited. The project was started in April, 2018. The total project cost is Rs 2.92 crore, which includes operations and maintenance for a period of one year.
The 319.5-foot flag pole is the tallest in the country with respect to the average elevation of the city. Considering only the height of the pole, it is ranked third highest in the country after Attari border, which is 360 feet in height, and Pimpri Chinchwad Bhakti Shakti Chawk in Pune that has a height of 351 feet.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the State government has resolved to contribute its might to the journey of transformation of �New India� of Mahatma Gandhi�s dream, started and spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhiji�s ideals on non-violence, swachhata and untouchability are still relevant not only in India but outside as well. Even the greats like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King followed Gandhiji�s philosophy to serve humanity, he said.
Terming the Father of the Nation a great humanist and nationalist, Sonowal said the concept of installing the tallest National Flag in the State was motivated by Gandhiji�s principle of nationalism.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who launched Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on October 2, 2014 to pay tribute to the great humanist and present him a Clean India on his 150th birth anniversary next year, Sonowal said that Swachh Bharat is no longer a government programme now; it has become a mass movement. The reflections of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan can be seen in the entire length and breadth of the country, where people of all ages and categories are volunteering themselves to the cleanliness movement.
Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, and Member of Parliament Biswajit Daimary also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Sonowal led a string of leaders in the State in paying tributes on the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Mandap. He also attended an all faith prayer meeting on the occasion.
Environment and Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, Hill Areas Development Minister Sum Ronghang, Minister of State (independent charge) for Cultural Affairs Naba Kumar Doley, Member of Parliament of Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Chief Minister�s Media Advisor Hrishikesh Goswami, several MLAs and senior officers of state administration were present on the occasion.