Jaipur,
January 30. Chief Minister Mr Ashok Gehlot said that a person can fulfil the purpose
of his life by helping others with the spirit of service. Father of the Nation,
Mahatma Gandhi with this thinking served the leprosy patients and made efforts
to bring them into the mainstream of society.
Mr Gehlot was
addressing a programme organised by Sarthak Manav Kushth Ashram on World
Leprosy Day through a video conference from his official residence on Sunday.
He said that when no one accepted leprosy patients, at that time Mahatma Gandhi
embraced them and never hesitated to serve them. This helped in reducing the
hatred towards this disease and leprosy patients in various sections of the
society. The need of the hour is to create self-confidence and to make leprosy
patients aware of the treatment.
The Chief Minister said
that World Leprosy Day is observed on the last Sunday of January month and its
a co-incidence that this year it is being observed along with Martyrs’ Day. On
this day, we have to take a pledge to serve the leprosy patients and this will
be a real tribute to Bapu. He said that the National Leprosy Control Programme
(NLCP) was started at the time of the country’s first Prime Minister Pt.
Nehruji in 1955. Former Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi in 1983 started the
National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP). It has been the result of these
efforts that today the country is on the verge of becoming leprosy free and
there is a reduction in the number of new leprosy patients.
Mr Gehlot said that Sarthak Manav Kushth Ashram is serving the leprosy patients with dedication and announced to sanction Rs. 5 lakh from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the Ashram. Besides this, he invited suggestions for the welfare of leprosy patients residing in 16 Kushth Ashrams in various parts of the State. He said that the State Government will examine the suggestions and will take steps to help the people living in kushth ashrams. He appealed to the voluntary organisations and people of the society to help leprosy patients
