Highlights of PM Modi’s Visit to Gujarat on 24th and 25th February 2024

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited Gujarat on the 24th and 25th of February, 2024. During the visit, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs. 52,250 crore.

i.Majority of the development projects worth more than Rs. 48,100 crores was spent in Rajkot, Gujarat.

ii.The projects focus on healthcare, transportation, energy, tourism, roads, railways, and natural gas.

Inaugurations During the visit:

i.5 AIIMS at Rajkot, Bathinda, Raebareli, Kalyani, and Mangalagiri.

ii.Cable-stayed ‘Sudarshan Setu’ bridge in Gujarat.

iii.21 projects of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) worth around Rs 2280 crores.

He laid the foundation stone for,

i.New Mundra-Panipat pipeline project worth over Rs 9000 crores

ii.More than 200 Health Care Infrastructure Projects worth more than Rs 11,500 crore across 23 States /Union Territories (UTs)

PM Modi Inaugurated 5 New AIIMS

During the visit, PM inaugurated 5 new AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) at Rajkot, Bathinda, Raebareli, Kalyani, and Mangalagiri constructed at a total cost of Rs. 6315.23 crore.

PM Modi inaugurated the cable-stayed ‘Sudarshan Setu’ bridge in Gujarat

PM inaugurated Sudarshan Setu, India’s longest cable-stayed bridge spanning 2.32 km on the Arabian Sea, connecting Okha mainland and Beyt Dwarka island in Gujarat to provide easier access to Dwarkadhish temple

• It is built at a cost of around Rs. 980 crores. The sealink, Gujarat’s first, has been constructed by the national highway division in the Roads and Buildings Department of Gujarat. The bridge was constructed as part of National Highway 51 and funded by the Centre.
• Gujarat Chief Minister(CM) Bhupendra Patel was also present during the inauguration of the bridge.
• Sudarshan Setu has a 1.21-km (1,215 metres) approach on the Bet Dwarka side and a 1.23-km (1,237 metres) approach on the Okha side.
• The 4.77-km-long sealink has 2.45 Kilometer long approach road and 2.32 km (2,320 metres) bridge section, including a 900 metres (0.90 km) cable-stayed section, the longest in India.

Key Points

i.The bridge has solar panels on the upper sections of its footpath generating 1 megawatt of electricity.

ii.It has 4 lanes and 2.50-meter-wide footpaths with verses from the Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on each side.

iii.It eliminates the need for boat transport to reach the temple.

iv.‘Sudarshan Setu’ or Sudarshan was previously known as ‘Okha-Beyt Dwarka Signature Bridge’

Note: Beyt Dwarka, an island near Okha port is nearly 30 km from Dwarka town where the famous Dwarkadhish temple of lord Krishna is situated.

Foundation stone for the New Mundra-Panipat pipeline project

PM laid the foundation stone for the New Mundra-Panipat pipeline project, which is worth over Rs. 9000 crore.

i.This pipeline spans 1194 km and can transport crude oil from Mundra on the Gujarat coast to Indian Oil’s refinery in Haryana’s Panipat

ii.It has an installed capacity of 8.4 MMTPA (Million Metric Tons Per Annum)

Road Projects

i.The Prime Minister inaugurated

• the doubling of the Surendranagar- Rajkot Rail line,
• four laning of Bhavnagar- Talaja (old NH-8E), and Pipli-Bhavnagar roads (NH-751).

ii.He also laid the foundation stone for six laning of Samakhiyali to Santalpur section of NH-27(National Highway-27)

Energy Sector Projects in Gujarat

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for several renewable energy projects, including

• 300 MW (Mega Watt) solar power project in Bhuj-II
• Grid Connected 600 MW solar PV(Photovoltaics) power project
• Khavda Solar Power Project
• 200 MW wind energy project in Dayapur-II

Other Important Inaugurations made by PM Modi:

Inauguration of two Ayush Institutes

PM Modi inaugurated two Ayush institutes. These are the Central Research Institute of Yoga & Naturopathy (CRIYN) in Jhajjar, Haryana, and the National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) in Pune, Maharashtra.

• These initiatives aim to promote the use of natural medicine in the country.

i.Central Research Institute of Yoga & Naturopathy (CRIYN)

CRIYN built at a cost of Rs. 63.88 crore is a top Yoga and Naturopathy Research and education facility in Haryana.

ii.National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN)

NIN titled ‘NISARG GRAM’ is a Pune-based hospital with a research and extension center. It includes a Naturopathy Medical College offering UG(Under graduation) /PG(Post Graduation )/Para Medical Courses with residential facilities like hostels, auditorium, yoga hall, cottages, and Gandhi Memorial Hall.

• It is built at a cost of Rs. 213.55 crore

The foundation stone for Health Care Infrastructure Projects

PM laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation more than 200 Health Care Infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 11500 crore across 23 States/UTs. This includes

Other Health infrastructure projects

Under the National Health Mission (NHM) and Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), the Prime Minister also inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, and laid the foundation stone of 115 projects. These include

i.78 projects under PM-ABHIM,

• 50 units of Critical Care Blocks
• 15 units of Integrated Public health Labs
• 13 units of Block Public Health Units
• Under the National Health Mission – 30 units of various projects like Community Health Centre, Primary Health Care Center, Model Hospital, Transit Hostel, etc.

Note:

The NHM includes the NRHM(The National Rural Health Mission) and NUHM(The National Urban Health Mission).

• It aims to provide affordable and fair healthcare, promote healthy living, prevent the spread of diseases, and ensure healthcare accessibility and ease of use.

Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Projects

PM Inaugurated and dedicated to the nation 21 projects of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) worth around Rs 2280 crores. These include

Note : The ESIC under the ownership of Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, is a contributory health insurance program for daily wage workers or labourers and their families designed to aid them with financial cover during hospitalization and related emergencies.

About Gujarat
Capital – Gandhinagar
Chief Minister – Bhupendra Patel
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
Wildlife sanctuaries – Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Park – Sakkarbaug zoo, Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Zoological Garden (Sarthana Nature Park)