Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday declared that there will be new beginnings in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and with the help of people, the residents of the soon-to-be-Union territories will be able to pave the way for new developments.
Modi was speaking at a programme organised at the Sardar Sarovar Dam site at Kevadia Colony, near Vadodara. Titled Namami Devi Narmade, the programme was organised by the BJP on the occasion of 69th birthday of Modi and water level in the dam reaching a historic high of 138.68 meters.
Modi performed a puja at the dam site and saw various projects like the butterfly park, jungle safari and river rafting that have come up near the dam site and the world's tallest statue—the Statue of Unity. Programmes were organised by the BJP all over the state and aartis were performed at the water bodies.
This is Modi's first visit to his home state Gujarat after Article 370 was revoked. Later in the day, Modi will seek blessings of his mother Hiraben, who stays near Gandhinagar.
Modi said that people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh faced discrimination for 70 years and terrorism. “With the inspiration of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India has taken a step to resolving the decades-old problem,” Modi affirmed. He said that his government would work faster than their tenure of last five years and take the country to newer heights.
Making a mention that it was on this date in 1948 that Hyderabad merged with India, Modi said that had it not been for Patel's foresight, India's map would have been different and the country would have been facing lots of problems.
Speaking at a massive gathering under a dome, set up in the backdrop of the Sardar Sarovar Dam site, Modi mentioned how Narmada waters had changed the lives of people of Gujarat and was benefiting Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Thanking everyone who contributed to make the dam a reality, Modi said once upon a time it used to be an achievement if the water level reached 122 metres. “And now, the level has crossed 138 meters,” Modi declared.
Earlier, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had mentioned how within 17 days of Modi taking over as the prime minister in 2014, gates on the dam were set up.
Modi said that the dreams of Patel were coming true in front of his statue.
Speaking about the ongoing developmental projects around the dam site and the statue, Modi said that it is a live example of how development can take place along with conserving nature.
Modi also mentioned how Kevadia had come up on the world map and that 23 lakh people had visited the Statue of Unity ever since it was inaugurated 11 months ago. “Daily, an average of 8,500 people come to visit the statue and it is just 11 months old. Nearly 10,000 people visit the Statue of Liberty in America daily, which is 133 years old,” Modi said.
Assuring the locals that there will be lots of employment opportunities as facilities come up in the area, Modi urged the masses to expedite efforts to make India free from single-use plastic.
Modi exhorted those in the field of water conservation to share their experiences and take Gujarat's success to the national level.
According to Modi, from women having to walk up to 10 kilometres to fetch water, Gujarat had come a long way. In 2000, a special water train was also needed, he remarked.
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Quoting one IIM study, Modi said that micro-irrigation had helped save 50 per cent water, 50 per cent less use of fertiliser and 50 per cent less use of labour.
“Earlier, farmers used to have traditional crops. However, now with the availability of water, they can sow cash crops and are dabbling in horticulture also,” Modi said. Reiterating his government's commitment to double the income of farmers by 2022, Modi claimed that in Gujarat, several farmers' incomes had increased.
Speaking about the use of waterways, Modi said that after introduction of the Ro-Ro ferry service between Gogha and Dahej—which not only reduced the travelling time but also reduced the distance from 350km to 31km—the government was contemplating a ferry service between Mumbai and Hazira, near Surat. The Gujarat government, he said, has given in-principle approval.
