Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Oct 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day visit to Gujarat on Friday with a roadshow in Banaskantha, where development projects worth more than Rs 14,000 crore were launched or advanced, covering agriculture, dairy development, transport, rural infrastructure and child welfare.
The visit will continue at Ekta Nagar in Kevadia on October 31, where Modi will participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The programme will also feature the inauguration of Bharat Parv 2026 and development projects worth more than Rs 400 crore.
A major highlight of the Banaskantha programme is the Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre (BBBRC) at Bhildi. Spread across 127 acres, the facility has been established as a Centre of Excellence for bovine breeding, genetic improvement and advanced reproductive technologies. It is the country's first centre dedicated to the Kankrej cattle breed and is expected to accelerate breed improvement by 10 to 20 times.
The dairy sector will also benefit from two proposed Bio-CNG plants operated by Banas Dairy at Tharad and Radhanpur, with capacities to process 75 metric tonnes and 100 metric tonnes of cattle dung per day, respectively.
Modi will dedicate 521 completed projects under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, involving a combined investment of around Rs 4,950 crore. These include warehouses, silos, cold storage units, cold chains, polyhouses, greenhouses and integrated processing centres.
The programme also includes the inauguration of an expanded potato processing plant at Sanadar and an automated storage and retrieval system for ultra-high-temperature products at Palanpur.
Additionally, 12 approved horticulture clusters spread across approximately 1.46 lakh hectares will begin on-ground activities. The clusters are expected to benefit more than 1.3 lakh farmers, with two clusters in North Gujarat focusing on potato production. Modi is also scheduled to release the 24th instalment of PM-KISAN, amounting to Rs 19,000 crore, as financial assistance to farmers across the country.
Transport infrastructure will receive a major boost with two extensions to the Ahmedabad Metro network under Phase 2. The Airport Extension (Phase 2A) will cover more than six kilometres with five stations between Koteshwar Road and the Airport, while Phase 2B will extend the network from GIFT City to Shahpur over 3.3 kilometres, with three stations.
Another major project involves widening Ahmedabad-Mehsana Road, also known as State Highway-41, from four lanes to eight lanes at an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore. The project is expected to improve connectivity between Ahmedabad and North Gujarat.
Two railway services, the Ahmedabad (Sabarmati)-Varanasi Express and Mehsana-Becharaji-Sabarmati MEMU, will also be flagged off.
In the child welfare sector, 4,030 new child-friendly Anganwadi Centres will be established, while 361 completed centres will be inaugurated. The initiative involves an investment of Rs 800 crore and is expected to benefit more than four lakh people.
On October 31, Modi will visit the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar and pay floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel before participating in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations.
He will also inaugurate Bharat Parv 2026, which will continue until November 15. The festival will showcase the cultural traditions of States and Union Territories through folk performances, regional cuisine, handicrafts and tourism attractions.
Another attraction will be Ekta Prakash Parv, an illumination display highlighting national unity, diversity, cultural heritage and progress. It will feature a 530-metre Valley of Flowers Road themed 'From Ancient India to Modern India' and a 180-metre Glow Tunnel themed 'Unity in India's Diversity', illuminated with more than 1.5 crore LED lights.
Several civic and tourism projects worth more than Rs 400 crore are also scheduled for inauguration or dedication at Ekta Nagar. These include a sewage and water treatment plant, facade lighting, improvements to Narmada Ghat, an IRCTC hotel and tourism facilities.
Modi will also lay foundation stones for the development of Gora-Bhandra Road, an integrated zero-waste smart solid waste management project, Khalwani Eco Tourism Development and integrated development of the Cactus and Butterfly Garden.
The two-day visit will conclude with the Ekta Parade as part of the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations. Central Armed Police Forces, State Police Forces and Central Police Organisations will participate in the parade, showcasing their discipline and professionalism. This year's event will also highlight security forces' efforts against Left-Wing Extremism and the transformation of previously affected regions towards peace, security and development.