Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated and laid foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 4400 crore in Bhuj. Earlier, he also inaugurated the Smriti Van memorial in Bhuj district. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the Smriti Van Memorial in Bhuj and the Veer Bal Smarak in Anjar are symbols of the shared pain of Kutch, Gujarat and the entire country. He recalled when the concept of the Anjar memorial came up and a resolution was passed to complete the memorial through voluntary work, ‘Kar Seva’. He said these memorials are being dedicated with a heavy heart in memory of the lives lost in the devastating earthquake. He also thanked the people for their warm welcome today.
Recalling the many emotions that went through his heart today, he humbly said that the Smriti Van Memorial is on par with the 9/11 Memorial and the Hiroshima Memorial in commemorating the departed souls. He asked people and school children to continue visiting the memorial so that the balance and behavior of nature remain clear to all.The Prime Minister recalled the eve of the devastating earthquake. He said: “I remember when the earthquake happened, I got here the very next day. I was not the chief minister then, I was a simple party worker. I didn’t know how and how many people I would be able to help. But I have decided to be with you all in that hour of sorrow. And when I became Chief Minister, the service experience helped me a lot.” Recalling his deep and long association with the region, he remembered and paid tribute to the people he worked with during the crisis.
The Prime Minister continued, “Kutch has always had one specialty that I often talk about. Even if one sows a dream on the way here, then the whole of Kutch joins in making it a banyan tree. These sacraments of Kutch proved every fear, every assessment wrong. There were many who said that Kutch would never be able to stand on its feet now. But today the people of Kutch have completely changed the scenario. He recalled that he and his state cabinet colleagues spent the first Diwali after the earthquake in the area in solidarity with the people. He said that in that hour of challenge, we declared that we would turn disaster into opportunity (“aapda se awasar”). “When I say from the ramparts of the Red Fort that India will be a developed country by 2047, you can see that in the midst of death and disaster we have made certain resolutions and today we have implemented them. In the same way, what we are dealing with today, we will certainly implement in 2047,” he said.
Highlighting the incredible work done since the total destruction in 2001, the Prime Minister said that the Krantiguru Shyamji Krishnavarma University was established in 2003 in Kutch and more than 35 new colleges were established at the same time. He also spoke about earthquake proof district hospitals and more than 200 functional clinics in the area and every household will get clean water from the holy Narmada, a far cry from the water scarcity of those days. He worked out in detail the steps to ensure water security in the region. He said that with the blessings of the people of Kutch, all the key areas were connected with Narmada water. “Kutch Bhuj Canal will benefit the people and farmers of the region,” he said. He also congratulated Kutch for becoming the number one fruit producer in the whole of Gujarat. He praised the people for unprecedented advances in cattle breeding and milk production. “Kutch has not only risen but has taken the entire Gujarat to new heights,” he added.
The Prime Minister recalled the time when Gujarat was plagued by one crisis after another. He said, “While Gujarat was coping with the natural calamity, the era of conspiracies began. One conspiracy after another has been hatched to denigrate Gujarat in the country and the world to stop investment here. The Prime Minister emphasized that even with such a situation, Gujarat has become the first state in the country to enact a Disaster Management Act. “With the inspiration of this law, a similar law was created for the whole country. This act has helped every government in the country during the pandemic,” he added. He went on to say that ignoring all efforts to defame Gujarat and defying conspiracies, Gujarat charted a new industrial path. Kutch benefited greatly from this.
He said Kutch has the largest cement plants in the world today. Kutch is second in the world in the production of welded pipes. The second largest textile mill in the world is in Kutch. Asia’s first SEZ came up in Kutch. Kandla and Mundra ports handle 30 percent of India’s cargo and produce 30 percent of the country’s salt. Kutch produces 2500 MW of power generated by solar and wind energy and the largest solar hybrid park is coming up in Kutch. The Prime Minister further added that Gujarat is playing a big role in the anti-Green House campaign going on in the country today. Similarly, when Gujarat emerges as the Green House Capital of the World, Kutch will contribute a lot.
The Prime Minister recalled one of the Panch Pran – the pride in our heritage that he preached from the ramparts of the Red Fort and highlighted the prosperity and wealth of Kutch. The Prime Minister noted the expertise in building Dholavira town. He said: “Dholavira received World Heritage status only last year. Every brick of Dholavira shows the skill, knowledge and science of our forefathers.” Similarly, being proud of one’s heritage also includes worshiping the long-ignored freedom fighters. He recalled the privilege of bringing back the remains of Shyamji Krishna Varma. The memorial at Mandvi and the Statue of Unity are also major steps in this regard, he said. The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Member of Parliament, Shri C R Patil and Shri Vinod L Chavda, Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, Dr Nimaben Acharya, Ministers of State Kiritsinh Vaghela and Jitubhai Chaudhary were among those present on the occasion.
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