Agitation for Narmada thing of past, now only development will happen: Gujarat Health Minister

The Phase 1 work to develop the new area of Nalkantha, Fatehwadi in Ahmedabad district is in progress which will be completed in August 2025. After that, Phase 2 work will be taken up where around 35,688 hectare of land in 39 villages of Sanand, Bavla and Viramgam talukas will get the benefit of irrigation, Patel apprised the House.

Also, the Sardar Sarovar Dam Experience Center will be built in Ekta Nagar at the cost of Rs 50 crore to showcase the remarkable journey behind the construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the minister
added.

The minister said the work on the remaining canal network will continue in 2025-26. The government has allocated Rs 100 crore to provide irrigation in geographically non-command areas of 14 villages of Banaskantha’s Deodar taluka and 11 villages of Patan ’s Santalpur taluka.

Further, presenting the budgetary demands for urban development and urban housing for 2025-26, the finance minister said that “taking forward the development journey started by the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Budget of the urban department has been increased by 40 per cent to Rs 30,325 crore compared to the previous year”.

The minister asserted that a provision of Rs 200 crore has been proposed in the Budget under the Comprehensive Development of Religious Cities scheme. Under this, for religious places such as Dwarka, Somnath, Becharaji, Pavagadh, Siddhpur, Kapadvanj, Patan and Palitana, investments will be made on infrastructure facilities and promotion strategies to enhance the experiences of pilgrims and tourists .

“The development of country’s longest riverfront on the banks of the Sabarmati will gain momentum with the commencement of Phase 3 to Phase 7 (Indira Bridge to Gandhinagar) and the government is planning to complete it in three years, for which a provision of Rs 100 crore has been proposed for 2025-26,” he added.

The demand of Rs 25,399 crore for urban development and urban housing was passed in the Legislative Assembly. On the discussion pertaining to the General Administration, the finance minister said that as part of the recruitment plan for all cadres under the administrative departments of the state government, the government has decided to fix a 10-year recruitment calendar for the years 2024 to 2033 where a total of 2,06,991 posts will be
filled.

He also said that a Chief Minister’s Helpline will be started to promote transparency, accountability and accessibility in administrative management in Gujarat so that there can be direct and effective communication between citizens and the state government. Out of the total 17,65,604 applications received in the tenth phase of the Seva Setu programme, 17,65,595 have been disposed of, he added.