Ahmedabad, Nov 12 (IANS) The Gujarat Cabinet on Monday extended heartfelt congratulations to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for announcing two major, farmer-centric agricultural relief packages and for the state’s remarkable achievement in water management at the national level.

Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, government spokesperson Jitu Vaghani said the state government had earlier announced two significant relief packages – Rs 947 crore and Rs 10,000 crore – to compensate farmers affected by unseasonal rains.

With an additional allocation of Rs 190 crore, the total assistance under both packages now stands at Rs 11,137 crore.

Vaghani said the Cabinet thanked the Chief Minister on behalf of Gujarat’s farmers for this sensitive and generous initiative aimed at helping them recover from crop losses.

Vaghani further said that Gujarat has also secured a proud position in the Sixth National Water Awards announced by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, achieving second place nationally in the Water Conservation category.

Among other recognitions, Banas Dairy won first place in the Civil Society category, IIT-Gandhinagar was awarded first place in the Inside Campus category, and Bhavnagar Municipal Corporation earned second place in the Urban Local Body category.

The Cabinet also passed a resolution congratulating all institutions and individuals whose contributions helped the state earn this national recognition.

Meanwhile, following the State Cabinet meeting held in Gandhinagar today, government spokesperson and Minister Jitu Vaghani said the Chief Minister has instructed all ministers to reserve Mondays and Tuesdays exclusively for hearing public grievances and representations from elected representatives, except under unavoidable circumstances.

The Chief Minister has further directed that on these two days, ministers should remain present in their offices throughout the day to personally listen to citizens’ concerns and ensure effective redressal measures, instead of attending other meetings or events.

In addition, the Chief Minister has asked all in-charge ministers to visit their respective districts, hold review meetings with the local administration, and monitor the progress of key flagship projects.

Ministers have also been instructed to assess road conditions within their districts, conduct meetings with relevant officials by November 30, and submit detailed status reports directly to the Chief Minister.

To ensure accountability, CM Patel emphasised that there must be no compromise on road quality and directed strict supervisory measures. Any instances of substandard work, he said, should invite the strictest possible action against those responsible.

–IANS

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