Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, took part in the Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan in Vadodara today. He dedicated and laid the groundwork for development projects worth Rs 21,000 crores. Beneficiaries, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Union and State Ministers, People's representatives, and other dignitaries attended.
The Prime Minister stated at the outset that today is a Matru Vandana day for him (mother worship). He began his day by seeking blessings from his mother, who celebrated her 100th birthday today. Following that, he dedicated the redeveloped Shree Kalika Mata temple on Pavagadh Hill, where he prayed for the country and asked the goddess for strength to serve the country and the fulfillment of the country's pledges in the Amrit Kaal. He then bowed to the vast ‘Matru Shakti’ present on the occasion.
Noting the projects worth 21000 crore rupees in today's program, the Prime Minister stated that these projects will strengthen the concept of India's development through Gujarat's development. He stated that the massive investment in maternal health, low-income housing, connectivity, and higher education will help Gujarat's industrial development. Many of these projects, he claims, are related to women's health, nutrition, and empowerment. He stated today that the blessings of Maa Kalika have given a new impetus to the double engine government's efforts to make women empowerment the pivot of development.
"Rapid development of women and their empowerment is equally important for India's rapid development in the twenty-first century." Today, India makes plans and decisions with women's needs and aspirations in mind," he said, recognizing many familiar faces in the crowd.
The Prime Minister stated that opportunities for women have been expanded in all sectors, and the government has developed programs to empower women at all stages of their lives. "Vadodara is an appropriate city for the celebration of Matru Shakti because it gives sanskars like a mother." Vadodara is a Sanskara city. This city looks after visitors in every way, supporting them in their joys and sorrows and giving them opportunities to move forward.”
According to the Prime Minister, this city has inspired people such as Swami Vivekananda, Maharishi Arvind, Vinoba Bhave, and Babasaheb Ambedkar. Modi also recalled the significance of the city in his personal journey. He also stated that he was blessed by both Vodadara and Kashi Vishvanath in 2014. He emphasized the significance of maternal and women's health. The health of the mother is important not only for her but for the entire family, especially the child. "Malnutrition was a major issue in Gujarat two decades ago when I was given the opportunity to serve."
Since then, we have been working in this direction one after the other, with fruitful results that can still be seen today," he added. The Prime Minister also discussed measures to address the sickle-cell disease problem in tribal areas. He stated that declaring September as 'Poshan Mah' - nutrition month - will benefit women in Gujarat. Aside from nutrition, the government has worked to create a safe environment for women through programs such as Swachh Bharat and Ujjwala.
The Prime Minister stated that the tourism development measures in Gujarat will greatly benefit Vadodara. Pavagadh and Kevadia have been developed as tourism destinations. Railway and aviation infrastructure in Vadodara are rapidly improving. Similarly, the Prime Minister stated that Central University, Rail University, and Birsa Munda Tribal University are bringing new energy to the education sector.
The Prime Minister will dedicate a total of 1.38 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, including houses worth around Rs 1,800 crore in urban areas and houses worth more than Rs 1,530 crore in rural areas. In addition, Khat Muhurat has performed on approximately 3000 houses worth over Rs 310 crores.
During the program, the Prime Minister dedicated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 680 crore in Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, and Panchmahal, all of which aim to improve the region's quality of life.
The Prime Minister also laid the groundwork for Gujarat Central University in Kundhela village of Gujarat's Dabhoi taluka. The University, which will be built about 20 kilometers from Vadodara, will cost around Rs 425 crores and will serve the higher education needs of over 2500 students.
The Prime Minister launched the 'Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana,' which will cost Rs 800 crores and aims to improve maternal and child health. Every month, pregnant and lactating mothers will receive 2 kg of chickpeas, 1 kg of tur dal, and 1 kg of edible oil at no cost from Anganwadi Centres.
The Prime Minister also allocated approximately Rs 120 crores to the 'Poshan Sudha Yojana,' which is now available to all tribal beneficiaries in the state. This action follows the success of an experiment in which pregnant and lactating mothers from tribal districts were given Iron and Calcium tablets as well as nutrition education.
