Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid foundation stones for projects worth around Rs 5800 crore in Mehsana, Gujarat. The projects are part of rail, road, drinking water and irrigation sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, he said: “India’s development story has become a matter of discussion around the world.” Modi said there is a new sense of resolution among Indians and their strength is contributing to the rise in India’s stature.

The Prime Minister said Chandrayaan’s landing on the South Pole of the Moon and India’s highly acclaimed G20 Presidency has given India a new identity. Be it roads, rail or airports, the unprecedented investments made in all sectors has expanded modern infrastructure in the country, he said.

The projects inaugurated on Monday, he said, will improve connectivity and benefit farmers in the region. “The districts around Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar will also benefit from these projects,” he said.

The Prime Minister said people of Gujarat had already witnessed the development work that the rest of the country was experiencing today. “Whatever resolution Modi makes, he fulfills it,” he said.

He credited rapid development of the State to the stable government elected by its people and said that the entire State has benefited from this, including North Gujarat.

Recalling the time when life was difficult in the entire North Gujarat region due to lack of water for drinking and irrigation, and the only business of dairy in the region faced many difficulties, the Prime Minister said the farmers were able to harvest only one crop per year and that too without any certainty.

“We focused on development of agriculture, as well as, the industrial sector of North Gujarat,” he said. The government’s aim was to create as many new avenues of livelihood as possible for the people of North Gujarat. He highlighted the Sujalam-Sufalam Scheme which makes use of the water of Narmada and Mahi rivers for the development of Gujarat.

He said six barrages are being built on Sabarmati to draw maximum benefit. “One of these barrages has been inaugurated today. Our farmers and dozens of villages will benefit greatly from this,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the scope of irrigation in North Gujarat has increased manifold in the last 20-22 years owing to these irrigation projects. The Government introduced micro irrigation in the region and it was widely adopted by farmers. Seventy per cent area in Banaskantha is making use of this new technology.

“Farmers can now grow many crops like wheat, castor, groundnut and gram along with fennel, cumin and other spices. He said that 90 per cent of the country’s Isabgol is processed in Gujarat giving it a unique identity. He said potatoes, carrots, mango, amla, pomegranate, guava and lemon are being grown increasingly.

Modi said that efforts are also being made to develop Deesa as an organic farming hub for potatoes. He said a huge plant for processing potatoes in Banaskantha has been set up. An Agro Food Park has been built in Mehsana and work is being done to build a similar mega food park in Banaskantha.

He said women were the biggest beneficiaries of the development of the animal husbandry and dairy sectors. Hundreds of new veterinary hospitals have been built in North Gujarat over the years resulting in good health of the animals and thereby increasing milk production, he said.

He highlighted Monday’s railway projects worth more than Rs 5000 crores and mentioned the dedicated freight corridor between Mehsana and Ahmedabad. This would strengthen connectivity of North Gujarat with major ports like Pipavav, Porbandar and Jamnagar. It will also strengthen the logistics and storage-related sector in North Gujarat, he said.

Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel, Member of Parliament C R Patil and Union Minister of State for Railways Darshana Jardosh were present, among others.