PM to visit Gujarat on June 17-18, will launch development projects worth Rs 21,000 crore

New Delhi, June 16, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day visit to his home state of Gujarat on June 17-18 during which he will, among other things, inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of development projects worth more than Rs 21,000 crore.

The projects will be launched at the Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan that will be held at Vadodara on June 18.

Earlier on that day Modi will visit and inaugurate the redeveloped temple of Shree Kalika Mata at Pavagadh Hill, which will be followed by a visit to Virasat Van.

An official press release said beneficiaries of various schemes of the government will participate in Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan at Vadodara.

The Prime Minister will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various Railway projects worth over Rs 16,000 crore. These include dedication to the nation of the 357 km New Palanpur-Madar section of the Dedicated Freight Corridor; gauge conversion of the 166 km long Ahmedabad-Botad section; and the electrification of the 81 km long Palanpur-Mitha section, among others.

He will also lay the foundation stones of the redevelopment of Surat, Udhna, Somnath and Sabarmati stations, along with foundation stones of other initiatives in the railway sector. These projects will help lower logistics cost and boost industry and agriculture sector in the region. They will also improve connectivity in the region and enhance passenger amenities.

Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a total of 1.38 lakh houses will be dedicated by the Prime Minister, including houses worth around Rs 1,800 crore in urban areas and houses worth over Rs 1,530 crore in rural areas. In addition, "khat muhurat" of around 3,000 houses worth over Rs 310 crore will also be done.

During the programme, Modi will dedicate and lay the foundation stones of various development works at Kheda, Anand, Vadodara, Chhota Udepur, and Panchmahals, worth over Rs 680 crore, which are aimed at furthering ease of living in the region.

He will also lay the foundation stone of Gujarat Central University in Kundhela village of Dabhoi taluka of Gujarat. Located at about 20 km from Vadodara city, the university will be constructed at a cost of around Rs 425 crore and will cater to higher education needs of over 2,500 students.

With a focus on improving maternal and child health, the Prime Minister will launch "Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana", which will have an outlay of Rs 800 crore. Under the scheme, pregnant and lactating mothers will be given 2 kg of chickpeas, 1 kg of tur dal and 1 kg of edible oil free of cost from Anganwadi Centres every month.

He will also disburse around Rs 120 crore towards "Poshan Sudha Yojana", which is now being extended to all tribal beneficiaries in the state. This step is being taken after the success of the experiment of providing pregnant and lactating mothers from tribal districts with iron and calcium tablets and education on nutrition.

The Shree Kalika Mata temple at Pavagadh is one of the oldest temples in the area and attracts pilgrims in large numbers. The redevelopment of the temple has been done in two phases. The inauguration of the first phase of redevelopment was done by the Prime Minister earlier this year in April. The foundation stone of the redevelopment of the second phase, which is going to be inaugurated in the programme, was laid by the Prime Minister in 2017. This includes expansion of the temple base and "parisar" at three levels, and installation of amenities like street lights, CCTV system, and so on.

NNN