Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, today inaugurated and laid the foundation for development projects worth ₹919 crore in Gujarat, which include various initiatives by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, along with other dignitaries, was also present during the event.
Beginning his address with Navratri greetings, Shah highlighted that the projects span health, education, libraries, parks, and support for small street vendors. Among the most notable initiatives is the construction of modern schools by the Municipal Nagar Prathmik Siksha Samiti. Shah expressed his gratitude to AMC, stating that the transformation of municipal primary schools in his parliamentary constituency into model institutions was a major accomplishment.
Amit Shah underscored the importance of primary education, stating, “If children properly benefit from the initiatives of the Primary Education Committee, India’s future will undoubtedly be bright.” He emphasized the significance of seeing children from underprivileged backgrounds develop an interest in subjects like science, art, and music, expressing confidence that such progress ensures a promising future for the country.
The event also saw the inauguration and foundation-laying of development projects worth ₹472 crore in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Additionally, ₹446 crore worth of projects were launched in Ahmedabad East and Ahmedabad West Lok Sabha constituencies. These projects, according to Shah, will greatly enhance the quality of life for residents of Ahmedabad.
The Union Home Minister further praised the efforts of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, noting that over the past few years, projects worth ₹23,951 crore have been approved for Ahmedabad city, Kalol, Sanand taluka, and Gandhinagar. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated development initiatives totaling ₹14,000 crore in the region, bringing the total investment in one Lok Sabha constituency to approximately ₹37,000 crore over the past five years.
Shah highlighted a range of development efforts undertaken in seven assembly constituencies of Ahmedabad. These include child nutrition programs, exercise facilities, libraries for adolescents, water collection ponds, road construction, overbridges, street lights, hospitals, primary health centers, and primary schools.
He also stressed the importance of AMC’s goal to bring Ahmedabad to the forefront in the national cleanliness campaign. While acknowledging the challenge of achieving the top position in this year’s cleanliness survey, Shah called for renewed efforts to place Ahmedabad at the top of the rankings by next year.
Drawing a parallel between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mahatma Gandhi, Shah credited PM Modi for transforming the cleanliness campaign into a nationwide people’s movement. He noted that Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to ensure toilet facilities in every household and promote clean drinking water have revolutionized sanitation across the country.