Gandhinagar, June 10 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday wrote a detailed congratulatory letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the completion of 12 consecutive years in office, praising his leadership for strengthening India’s global standing, expanding welfare delivery, advancing infrastructure development, and driving Gujarat’s growth through a series of landmark projects.

Writing on behalf of the people of Gujarat, Patel said Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister had enhanced the prestige of India and Indians worldwide and had been marked by “trust, development and public welfare”.

“On behalf of all the citizens of Gujarat, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on completing 12 continuous and successful years as Prime Minister. Your tenure has enhanced the pride of India and Indians across the world. The honours and awards conferred upon you by countries around the world have filled every Gujarati with immense pride,” he wrote.

The Chief Minister said Indians had felt proud when the country responded to terrorism through military operations carried out under PM Modi’s leadership.

“When India, under your leadership, gave a strong response to terrorism through the Surgical Strike, Air Strike and Operation Sindoor, every citizen of the country felt proud,” he said.

Patel recalled Modi’s pledge at the beginning of his first term that his government would work for the poor, deprived and marginalised sections of society.

He said the principles of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” had evolved into a national commitment and shaped governance over the past 12 years.

“The mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ given by you has become a national resolve. As a result, these 12 years of governance have been marked by trust, development and public welfare,” he said.

Highlighting welfare programmes implemented by the Union government, Patel said the common citizen had remained at the centre of policymaking and that welfare schemes had reached beneficiaries through a saturation approach.

“By ensuring welfare schemes reach every citizen through a saturation approach, the concept of ‘Ease of Living’ is being realised for the first time in the country. Under your visionary leadership, 25 crore people have come out of poverty, which is a historic achievement,” he noted.

The Modi government has repeatedly highlighted poverty reduction, housing, sanitation, healthcare, financial inclusion and infrastructure expansion among its major achievements over the last 12 years.

Patel also pointed to initiatives aimed at boosting entrepreneurship and manufacturing. “The start-up journey, launched to make young people job creators, has helped India become the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem. Through programmes such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, we are progressing towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy,” he asserted.

A substantial part of the letter focused on Gujarat, which Patel described as PM Modi’s “birthplace and karmabhoomi”.

He said the state had benefited from PM Modi’s leadership for more than 25 years and had gained fresh momentum after the BJP formed governments at both the Centre and in the state.

“Gujarat has become the growth engine of the nation and is now moving towards becoming a leader in a developed India. With your assumption of office as Prime Minister, the state received the strength of a double-engine government and has achieved new dimensions of development,” he said.

Patel credited Modi with resolving long-pending issues related to the Narmada project soon after taking office in 2014.

“Just 17 days after assuming office as Prime Minister, you resolved a long-pending demand of the people of Gujarat by removing obstacles to the Narmada project and granting permission for the installation of gates, creating history through a water revolution,” he wrote.

He said the SAUNI project and the Narmada canal network had helped bring water to drought-prone regions of Saurashtra and Kutch, contributing to agricultural growth.

The Chief Minister also highlighted several flagship projects associated with the state’s development, including the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which he said had transformed the state into a global investment destination.

“The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit initiated by you has transformed Gujarat into a gateway to the future,” Patel said.

Among the major projects cited were the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar, Sabarmati Riverfront Development, the ongoing redevelopment of Sabarmati Ashram, GIFT City, Dholera Special Investment Region, the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, PM Gati Shakti University, National Forensic Sciences University and Rashtriya Raksha University.

Patel said Gujarat had also emerged as a leader in renewable energy under PM Modi’s vision, pointing to the hybrid renewable energy park in Kutch, Modhera Solar Village and the state’s leading position in rooftop solar installations under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

He further highlighted Gujarat’s growing role in the semiconductor sector. “With six semiconductor plants in the emerging semiconductor sector, Dholera and Sanand are fully prepared to become the semiconductor hub of the country,” Patel wrote.

He added that projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, a greenfield airport at Dholera and the proposed Ahmedabad-Dholera semi-high-speed rail link would further strengthen the state’s infrastructure and connectivity.

Patel also referred to heritage and cultural projects developed under the theme of “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi”, including the Lothal Maritime Heritage Museum, Somnath Swabhiman Parv, the Dwarka, Somnath and Ambaji corridors, the redevelopment of Mahakali Dham at Pavagadh and the archaeological experiential museum at Vadnagar.

The Chief Minister said welfare initiatives, including Jal Jeevan Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM SVANidhi and Digital India, had improved the lives of crores of people.

“Nationwide programmes such as Digital India have brought qualitative changes to the lives of lakhs of families in Gujarat,” he wrote.

Patel said Gujarat is preparing for the 75th anniversary of its formation in 2035 and has developed a roadmap for “Viksit Gujarat @75” under the guiding principle of “Earning Well, Living Well”.

“As the nation moves forward with the grand resolve of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, Gujarat is equally committed to achieving the goal of a developed Gujarat under your guidance,” he wrote.

Patel expressed confidence that PM Modi’s leadership would continue to guide the country towards new achievements.

“Every Indian has unwavering faith and confidence that your inspiration will continue to guide the fulfilment of the dream of a developed India. With best wishes that your visionary leadership continues to take the nation to new heights of achievement and fulfils the resolve of making India a Vishwaguru, I once again extend heartfelt congratulations on behalf of all Gujaratis for your successful and continuous 12 years of governance,” he added.

–IANS

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