Shastri's 105th birth anniversary today,Govt names flagship scheme after Mahatma

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The Centre's flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) will be named after Mahatma Gandhi. An announcement to this effect by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected on Friday, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. The decision to name the NREGA after Mahatma Gandhi was taken at a meeting of the union cabinet. Government sources said the cabinet has approved the move in principle.

October 2 is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti but it's also the birth anniversary of another great Indian leader. Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi. Today is his 105th birth anniversary. Shastri joined Gandhiji's Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 and also participated in the Quit India Movement. Shastri joined Nehru's cabinet as the Railways and Transport Minister in 1952 and after the death of Nehru, he became the Prime Minister of India in 1964. He died in 1966.

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