Gujarat model of development evoking great interest: Modi

Modasa (Gujarat), June 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Friday claimed that the Gujarat model of development is being discussed with great interest across the country.

Inaugurating a Rs 552-crore Narmada project-based water supply scheme for 608 villages in the parched north Gujarat region, Modi said: "Our governments stopped unnecessary earth digging, which used to be done as part of relief works during the drought period to gain electoral mileage."

He said the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) government looked ahead and believed in long-term permanent solutions.

Referring to the engineering expertise deployed in the scheme he inaugurated, the Prime Minister said: "An entire river had been lifted to a height of a 55-storey building to facilitate supply of water to these areas."

Modi suggested to state Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, who was present on the occasion, to introduce for engineering students in Gujarat a subject related to Narmada water supply, pumping and lifting of water to take it to far-off places.

He also spoke about the Sujalam Sufalam Yojana water project for the north Gujarat region, to harness as much as one million acre feet of water overflowing from the Narmada project. This project is one out of the three based on Narmada water, the other two being allocated to the western Saurashtra region and Kutch.

The Prime Minister exhorted the youth to spend time with their elders and find out about the past when buses would hardly come to their areas, electricity supply scenario was pathetic, and how women had to trudge long distances to fetch water, and see for themselves the changed situation now.