Gandhinagar: In a unique initiative aimed at promoting the economic rehabilitation of people recovering from mental illness, deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi on Friday turned salesman at the Sector 21 market in Gandhinagar, personally selling diyas made by patients of Ahmedabad’s Mental Health Hospital and facilitating sales worth nearly Rs 1.9 lakh.According to an official statement, Sanghavi interacted with customers and sold the earthen lamps to boost the confidence of beneficiaries and encourage their social acceptance. The initiative was undertaken as part of the broader “Nasha Mukt Gujarat, Swasth Yuva, Sashakt Parivaar” campaign.The 35,000 diyas were produced by patients undergoing vocational training at the Ahmedabad hospital, which runs a range of skill-development programmes to help them become self-reliant. These programmes include screen printing, weaving, stitching, file-making, rakhi-making, incense-stick production and wooden article manufacturing.The statement said Sanghavi travelled to the Sector 21 market in a newly inaugurated Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) bus before participating in the event.Minister of state for transport Pravin Mali, Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation mayor Rupsinh Thakor, MLAs Alpesh Thakor and Rita Patel, district panchayat president Anil Patel and other leaders were present at the programme.
