Incomplete works of 1947 are now being accomplished, says PM Modi alluding to Kashmir

"Azadi ke dauran koi kaam adhurey rah gaye they, unko pura karne ka prayas aaj desh kar raha hae (Some works during Independence struggle remained incomplete, and the country is now trying to achieve those milestones)," said Mr Modi while addressing a rally here on the occasion of his visit to the native state on his 69th birthday.

"Sardar Patel had seen the vision of One India, Great India (Ek Bharat, Shresht Bharat) and today the country is fulfilling his that dream," Prime Minister said in reference to unprecedented step taken by his government in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5.

Paying tributes to country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Prime Minister said "Just imagine, if Sardar Patel did not have the farsighted vision, then what would be the map of India".

He said it was on September 17, 1948 that Hyderabad had formally merged with India.

The Prime Minister maintained that the new road map taken by his government vis-a-vis Jammu and Kashmir ensuring one nation one norms formula is only "inspired" by Sardar Patel life and works.

"I have the conviction that with the support of lakhs of friends from Jammua and Kashmir and Ladakh and Kargil, we will be able to establish a new journey for development)," the Prime Minister said.

Mr Modi stressed that development can take place while protecting the environment. 'It is believed in our culture that development can take place along with conserving the environment, we can witness this example in Kevadia.'

The Gujarat Government is celebrating 'Namami Devi Narmade Mahotsav' throughout the state to mark the historic overflowing of Sardar Sarovar Dam- the life line of the state at its maximum height.

'I think development, environment and tourism in Kevadia is an amazing amalgamation that will inspire others,' he said.

Congratulating the organisers of the programme for their 'aesthetic sense', Mr Modi said it is a rare scenery where on one side there is 'jal sagar' (sea) and the other side is 'jan sagar' (sea of people), and in between there is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue showering blessings on people.

Mr Modi said he was joyous to see the dam flowing at this capacity for the first time.

'The enthusiasm in Kevadia today is the same in the whole of Gujarat. Today the work of cleaning the lakes, ponds, rivers is being done. There is also a program to plant trees on a large scale in the coming days,' he said.

Mr Modi said even in areas of Kutch and Saurashtra where water could not reach for many days, Mother Narmada has blessed the people.

The Prime Minister said an IIM Ahmedabad study revealed that micro-irrigation has resulted in water savings of up to 50 per cent in Gujarat, reduced fertiliser use by 25 per cent, reduced labour costs by 40 per cent apart from electricity savings.

Sardar Sarovar project was catering to needs of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, Mr Modi pointed out.

Gujarat has come a long way now, after seeing those days when there used to be scarcity of water, he said.

'The scope of micro-irrigation was only 14 thousand hectares in the year 2001 and only 8,000 farmer

families were getting its benefits. Today, 19 lakh hectares of land is under micro-irrigation and about 12 lakh farmer families are getting its benefits,' he said.

In the coming days, tree planting drive will be done on a large scale, he added.

Mr Modi said number of tourists to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat have crossed the number visiting the Statue of Liberty.

He also asked people to shun single use plastic to save the environment.

Prime Minister Modi performed the puja rituals to welcome the Narmada water at Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in Gujarat.

Earlier, the Prime Minister reached Kevadia at Dam site in Narmada district and visited various ongoing projects at Sardar Sarovar Dam and the Statue of Unity.

Mr Modi also visited and reviewed the progress of jungle safari, Eco tourism, cactus garden, Ekta nursery, western India’s first river rafting point, Nutrition Park, mirror maze and butterfly park.

Later in the day, Prime Minister will meet his aging mother Hirabai in Ahmedabad and take her blessings