Gandhinagar, Oct 10 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has said that several development initiatives launched in the state under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership had subsequently been expanded nationwide, as he congratulated the Prime Minister on completing 25 years in public service.
Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar alongside Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and government spokesperson Minister Jitu Vaghani, Patel on Friday added that PM Modi’s political journey, which began with his tenure as the Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001, had been guided by the principles of “Service, Not Power” and “Nation First”.
“PM Modi had introduced a new approach to governance based on development and performance, with the mantra of ‘Reform, Perform, Transform’, and had sought to turn challenges into opportunities through a clear vision and decisive leadership,” he said.
Recalling PM Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, Patel cited the Jyotigram Yojana, which improved electricity supply to villages, the Narmada canal network, which expanded access to water, and the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit, launched in 2003 to attract investment to the state.
Patel said the development model pursued in Gujarat had contributed to PM Modi securing a national mandate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
“As Prime Minister, he had continued to serve as the country’s ‘Pradhan Sevak’, ushering in an era of development-focused and performance-driven politics,” he noted.
He said that development under PM Modi went beyond roads, bridges and industries, and was intended to bring tangible changes to the lives of disadvantaged sections of society.
“Initiatives relating to housing, sanitation, financial inclusion, healthcare security and Garib Kalyan Melas were aimed at ensuring that welfare benefits reached people directly,” he added.
Patel also highlighted PM-KISAN, the promotion of natural farming, the Ujjwala Yojana and efforts to increase women’s participation in decision-making as initiatives supporting farmers, women and other sections of society.
Drawing parallels between Gujarat’s schemes and national programmes, Patel cited the expansion of MA Amrutam into Ayushman Bharat, Jyotigram into the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, Nirmal Gujarat into the Swachh Bharat Mission, Jal Mandir into Amrit Sarovar and Kanya Kelavani into ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’.
He also pointed to the transition from Khel Mahakumbh in Gujarat to the nationwide Khelo India programme.
Highlighting projects expected to support Gujarat’s economic growth, Patel referred to the Ahmedabad-Dholera rail and expressway projects, the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, the railway locomotive manufacturing unit in Dahod and defence aircraft manufacturing in Vadodara.
He also cited the International Financial Services Centres Authority and India International Bullion Exchange at GIFT City.
The Chief Minister said, “The hybrid renewable energy park at Khavda in Kutch, the CNG terminal in Bhavnagar and the expansion of the semiconductor sector are positioning Gujarat for growth in clean energy, advanced technology and manufacturing. Six semiconductor projects under the Semiconductor Mission were part of the state’s efforts to emerge as a major semiconductor hub.”
Patel also referred to India’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying PM Modi had demonstrated global responsibility by promoting the development of indigenous vaccines and supplying them to other countries.
“Guided by the principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, or the world as one family, PM Modi had strengthened India’s international standing while seeking to balance development with environmental protection,” he said.
He added that the Prime Minister’s emphasis on self-reliance, innovation and skill development was creating opportunities for young people and supporting the goal of “Viksit Bharat-2047”.
–IANS
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