Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in his message to people on the occasion of 66th Independence Day said that political stability has lent great strength to Gujarat’s growth. “It is our collective responsibility to fail all those elements who want to create political disturbance in Gujarat”, he said.
He called upon people to work for the growth of Gujarat in order to gain growth for the country.
Following is the text of Chief Minister’s message:
Dear brothers and sisters of the State,
Independence Day greetings to you all!
It is natural remembering our freedom fighters on the occasion of Independence Day. The priceless freedom that we enjoy today is the result of relentless struggle of many known and unknown valiant people who devoted their entire life to make our country independent. This is the occasion of showing our respects to all those heroes. For the pride of our tricolor they committed their existence, spent their lives in jail, thundering the mantra of vande mataram.It is a matter of pride for us that two of the greatest leaders of our freedom struggle, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, were of Gujarat. And we are the people who speak their language. This also means that our responsibilities, too, are greater than others. When we call Gandhi and Sardar as our own, it also becomes our responsibility to actualize their dream. Gujarat has made all efforts to actualize their dreams. They devoted their lives for swaraj (independence), and then, they dreamed for bringing su-raj (good governance). Freedom is not about merely replacing the national flags, and putting one ruler at the place of other. Our struggle for freedom had in it a dream for the welfare of poor, for making India strong and capable for contributing for the good of whole world. Today is also the birthday of Maharishi Aurobindo. This great man had foresaw the same thing as it was also envisaged by Swami Vivekananda, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and many other saints and sages – that India may emerge as jagadguru.
Brothers and sisters, Gujarat is endeavoring in this direction. And so, in we have adopted the mantra of ‘Gujarat’s growth for India’s growth’. Nearly 65 percent of our population is of the age below 35. How fortunate we are, that we are witnessing India throbbing with youth power. What is not possible for a nation having such great number of youths? Gujarat has taken a small step in this direction, by celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda as ‘Yuva Shakti Varsha’. We have provided numerous opportunities to the youths with a view to develop their body, mind and skills. We have launched drive for giving opportunities to the youths so that they become capable of new creation. Recently we did a programme called eMPOWER (Electronic Manpower). We aim at providing latest technological knowledge even to the poorest youth of the State. Through eMPOWER we will provide computer training to youths at negligible frees, and even with no fees to many. Be it boys or girls, we have opened the doors of knowledge of information technology, computers, social networks etc. for them so that they do not feel inferiority and step back in this rapidly changing world. Even the youths, having educational qualification as little as std-V or std-VII, can also avail this training.
Our nation believes in the ethos of shramev jayate. Following to our respect for the importance of labour, we have opened the doors of higher education for the students of ITI. We have made a decision, under which if a student, after having passed primary classes, if completes two ITI course will be considered equivalent to std-x passed. And a student having passed std-x, completes two year ITI course, then he will be considered equivalent to std-xii passed. With this decision many students will be able to go for diploma and degree engineering courses. This whole exercise is because we want to provide opportunities to the youths of Gujarat.
Brothers and sisters, today entire nation is under the threat of drought. Gujarat’s condition in availability of water was quite good during last decade. God showered his compassion on us during these years. We received ample of rain in all parts of Gujarat. This year the God has subjected us to a test. Sometimes, it seems that God wants us to never forget the value of water. Perhaps, when we got used to with the abundance of water, the God thought to test us.
But, we – the government and the people – will join hands to pass through this trial. We will have all the measures in place for the cattle, farmers and poor. We will make Gujarat a model state in the fight with drought. Which productive measures can we take? How can we turn this situation into opportunity and construct some permanent solution. In past we successfully turn the calamity of massive earthquake into an opportunity. There is no reason why we can’t use this situation for constructing the resources of water conservation, making people aware of the value of water, saving greenery, evoking compassion for animals and for combining all our strength for the welfare of poor farmers. I have a faith on the service-oriented nature of people of Gujarat. People of Gujarat, who are committed to the service of poor and speech-less animals, will leave no stone unturned. Gujarat government has focused all its strength in this from last one and half month. I have involved myself also in this process. I am personally checking every matter. For me personally, the priority is the service of speech-less animals and farmers of rural areas. And I will give all my strengths to it. We will move ahead with the vow that we will turn this situation into opportunity and the sun of hope will appear from the midst of clouds of adversities.
Gujarat has undertaken the task of providing Narmada water in various parts of the state. Many times the question come to the mind that ‘had the government of India gave permission for putting gate on Narmada dam, we had thrice more water in the dam than it is there today. And having three times more water than this, we would not have to worry even in the severe drought. Anyway, our efforts are still going on for getting permission for putting gates over Sardar Sarovar dam. We hope that government of India will understand the want of Gujarat’s farmers and speech-less animals and will permit us to put gate over the dam. If this can be done, we will be in a position to conserve more water. This will enable us to speed up our work of filling lakes in villages of Gujarat. Gujarat’s farmers are hard-working by nature. And so, we can get great results with the availability of water will do wonder.
Gujarat’s has achieved impressive industrial growth. This has resulted into an increased availability of employment opportunities. As per Government of India’s latest figures, Gujarat is the state with least unemployment. Even as the unemployment is increasing in the rest parts of the country, Gujarat is creating more number of jobs. The contrast is quite apparent.
Brothers and sisters,
Had we not taken the strides of growth, the progress of this scale would not have become possible. There are people who just don’t want to see the growth Gujarat has made. There is no need to make effort to awaken them. We want to work tirelessly for the welfare of common man.
Today, the increase in cultivable land is seen only in Gujarat. It is a gladdening thing for entire country. We have increased 37 lakh hectare of cultivable land since 2001. This is due to the reason that we have successfully provided water for farming needs. Today we are contributing greatly in our country’s agricultural growth. Brothers and sisters, we have not step back from taking care of agriculture, industries, education and human development index. We have formed a network of sakhimandal in the villages of Gujarat. Even the poorest women have been engaged in economic activities. I am sure; the women of sakhimandal will emerge as a new strength for us during water scarcity. These women will provide leadership in solving the problems of villages with their skills and with the help of the government. This is the first drought in which we will see mother Narmada herself combating with this calamity for us. Similarly, this will the first drought in which we will see sisters of sakhimandal will come out as a new strength to fight with this adversity.
These are all newer dimensions, which infuse faith in common man. Let those who are creating anti-Gujarat atmosphere, understand that even the government of India needs to put its numbers with those of Gujarat, in order to highlight its achievements. It is a matter of pride for us that we are contributing for the development of India. We have our contribution in almost every matter for which Delhi’s central government can take pride. Everyone is taking note of our contribution. This is the right way of executing country’s administration, and we have walked on this path.
Today in Gujarat when we are celebrating 50 years of panchayati-raj, we have made an important decision of developing our villages. We have made a decision of providing villages with the rights of spending money for their development. Prior to this, villages have rights to spend money for the works up to rupees two lakhs. We have made it rupees five lakh at a stretch. This is because the sarpanch, who head the panchayat, and his aides have become capable for development. They have become keen to do new things. If given power in their hands they can do new things. I want to move even further in this regard provided this experiment gets success in coming six-eight months. This will enable villages to take decisions for its own development. Villages will have money at their disposal, which will help them to grow on their own. I request all the brothers of panchayats that to not let go this opportunity. Last year, we saw a healthy competition between villages to come out as best village. We saw villages attaining new achievements. This year is occasion of celebrating golden jubilee of panchayati raj. We have decided to celebrate it in every village. I desire to felicitate all the members of taluka panchayat and district panchayat of today and past. On the occasion of 50 years of panchayati raj, we want to carry on our development march in villages. We want to open up newer dimensions of development in villages.
Brothers and sisters, we have given a new model of urban development. More than 42 percent of Gujarat’s population today lives in towns. Where 50 percent of population depends on towns, we are successfully going ahead with developing towns, transportation keeping comfort and convenience of the people in mind.
A few days back, I visited Japan on the invitation of Japanese Government. It was a matter of pride for all Gujaratis for a prosperous country in a first such instance extending invitation to a state. It is natural for us to feel proud. There is no question of party leaning or individual, but of a Gujarati. It was a short visit of four days. The way they extended hospitality, it shows their attraction towards Gujarat. We together can develop, build capacity, quality, quantity, scale, skill and set new benchmarks. The visit has lent a new hope. I believe the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit in January 2013 would provide more employment.
Brothers and sisters, we have created a new identity in taking tourism to greater heights. We have Gir lions, Somnath temple, Dwarka teerth, birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel’s revolutionary thinking, Rann of Kutch, Navratri, fairs and festivals. It is for the last three days that tourists from different countries are looking at Gujarat, but not earlier.
Incidentally, lions of Gir, or temples at Somnath and Dwarka did not crop up now. They were there even before I landed on the scene, but I tried to place them on the global map. I have full faith and have faith in your blessing that we would develop.
There used to be a time when curfew, violence, caste clashes used to frequent Gujarat with loss of lives. Such things have disappeared from the land of Gujarat for the last ten years. Instead of blood, water flows down the fields now. Greenery is visible in the hearts of people, too.
Brothers and sisters, this decade of sadbhavna has been converted into a strong pillar of 21st Century, a matter of pride for Gujarat.
I have to specially congratulate the people of Gujarat on this day, as it is a major parameter of development. If there is no political stability, governments fall frequently, legislators are traded and new governments are formed. Forces work to save thrones. But because of your blessings and our clear-cut decisions, Gujarat has witnessed stable governance. Its policies are clear and progressive. It will make Gujarat developed and stable.
It is our duty to remember our freedom fighters and thwart the designs of such forces out to create political instability.
We need co-operation of everybody for political stability, only then can we go for development. Our policies are clear, intention is clean and Gujarat’s welfare is the goal. We have been successful in coming out of old rituals during the last ten years. We could fill up many blanks. We have yet to build many majestic structures with new dream, new resolutions, new enthusiasm, new hope, with daily efforts. I have stepped into the road. I have blessings of six-crore Gujaratis.
Come brothers and sisters, let us remember the freedom fighters, we have to fulfill their dreams, marching together, holding tri-colour in hand, take Gujarat’s development to new heights for the welfare of Bharat Mata, offer Gujarat’s bouquet at the feet of Bharat Mata and spread its perfume far and wide. Once again, on the eve of Independence Day, I bow down before venerated Bapu, respectable Sardar Patel, Shyamji Krishna Verma and numerous great souls, known and unknown, and to crores of people of Gujarat.
With many, many best wishes on the eve of Independence Day let us together march ahead with new resolutions.
Vande Mataram… Vande Mataram… Vande Mataram…
– Narendra Modi
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