Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhai Patel, on the latter’s 145th birth anniversary, at the 182-meter-tall statue in Gujarat’s Kevadiya. The day has been celebrated as the National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Divas) for the past six years. The PM has been in Gujarat since Friday as part of his two-day visit, and he arrived at the statue location in Narmada today early morning. Modi paid floral tributes at the feet of the statue, while helicopters dropped flowers from above.
Narendra Modi has been active in Gujarat, inaugurating 17 projects in the state. A few of the main ones include Arogya Van, Ekta Mall, Children Nutrition Park, and more. The Arogya Van features five lakh plants of over 300 species, including medicinal plants. The location is spread across 17 acres and has a cafeteria serving Ayurveda foods and a space for yoga and meditation. The Ekta Mall is spread over 35,000 square feet and features over 20 stores selling handloom and handicraft products from the state. The Children Nutrition Park is also spread over a similar area, but houses around 47 attractions that can entertain and inform children about proper nutritional diet.
Modi also inaugurated tourist attractions and helped connect them via two transportation methods. One is Ekta cruise, a 40-minute ferry ride from Shrestha Bharat Bhavan to Statue of Unity in Kevadiya. Another is a seaplane connecting Sabarmati with the Statue of Unity. The seaplane had earlier been in the news when it stopped in Kochi for refuelling. Moreover, the PM attended various events including a virtual conference addressing the probationers of various services such as the IAS.
