Gandhinagar: On October 7, 2001, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi took the oath as the 14th Chief Minister of Gujarat, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the politics of development. As of Monday, October 7, 2024, the continued development journey that began on this date has reached 23 years. To celebrate and highlight this multifaceted development journey and the success of good governance under Shri Narendra Modi, a Vikas Saptah will be celebrated every year throughout the state from October 7 to October 15, 2024.
The State Cabinet meeting, led by Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, acknowledged Shri Narendra Modi’s pivotal contributions to the global and multifaceted development of Gujarat. The CM expressed appreciation for Shri Narendra Modi’s continued guidance as Prime Minister throughout Gujarat’s extensive development journey. The Cabinet determined to celebrate the new milestones in development and good governance inspired by him, marking 23 years of progress from 2001 with the annual Vikas Saptah.
State Government Spokesperson and Health Minister Shri Rushikesh Patel provided a detailed overview of the various themed programs planned for ‘Vikas Saptah.’ Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, the state government is committed to promoting long-term and sustainable development by uniting all Gujaratis in the celebration of this ‘Vikas Saptah’ which will take place from October 7 to October 15. The spokesperson highlighted that this year’s ‘Vikas Saptah’ will feature multipurpose programs across the state, including cultural presentations by local artists. Additionally, citizens will have the opportunity to share their experiences regarding Shri Narendra Modi’s governance initiatives and their impact on social life through social and digital media using the hashtag #VikasSaptah. To showcase Shri Narendra Modi’s significant contributions to the state’s development, ‘Vikas Walks’ will be held at 23 iconic locations throughout various districts and cities known for their development achievements over the past 23 years of good governance. In this context, the Health Minister noted that these “Vikas Walks” will occur at significant sites, including the Statue of Unity, Sabarmati Riverfront, Surat Diamond Bourse, Nadabet, Pavagadh, Shyamji Krishna Verma Memorial, Smritivan, Ambaji, Dwarka, Sudarshan Bridge, and the Pal Dadhav Tribal Martyrs Memorial. He also mentioned that development-themed essay competitions will be organized in schools and colleges as part of comprehensive plans to engage students and youth during this development week. Furthermore, the Bharat Vikas Pratigya will be taken to encourage public participation in the development process.
Famous public places will be adorned with wall paintings that present an overview of the 23-year development journey across various sectors. Important development sites will also be beautified and illuminated during this celebration. Moreover, several development projects valued at over 3,500 crores will be inaugurated, and their foundation stones will be laid throughout the state during this year’s Vikas Saptah.
Shri Rushikesh Patel remarked that over the past 23 years, Shri Narendra Modi has demonstrated how large-scale, inclusive development driven by public participation can yield excellent results, establishing Gujarat as a role model for growth. Driven by the commitment to accelerate this 23-year-long development journey in the coming years under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the state government has resolved to celebrate Vikas Saptah. He also highlighted that during Vikas Saptah, several welfare schemes of the state government will be organized, featuring themed day celebrations. These will mark Youth Empowerment Day, Good Governance Day, Entrepreneurship Day, and Nutrition and Health Day.
Shri Narendra Modi, as Chief Minister, chose not to govern traditionally but instead focused on policy-driven governance that addressed public issues, fostering comprehensive development in the industrial, agricultural, and service sectors, thereby making Gujarat a model of development. In contrast to the six decades of progress since Gujarat’s establishment as a separate state from Greater Bombay in 1960, the 23 years of advancement from 2001 to 2024 under Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership have solidified Gujarat’s global reputation as the epitome of development. Once facing challenges such as electricity shortages, severe water scarcity, inadequate healthcare services, and low rates of girls’ education, Gujarat, under Shri Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership, transformed these obstacles into opportunities for progress.
The story of Kutch’s remarkable development, rising from destruction to unprecedented growth, has been showcased to the world through Smritivan and its museum. Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation of Gujarat’s development on five pillars: Urja Shakti, Jal Shakti, Gyan Shakti, Jan Shakti, and Raksha Shakti—propelling the state forward on the path of progress. With the guiding principle of ‘Gujarat’s development for India’s progress,’ Shri Narendra Modi introduced numerous new initiatives and dimensions to Gujarat’s global development.
Spokesperson Minister Shri Rushikesh Patel concluded that the period from 2001 to 2024, under the visionary leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, has been a transformative era of good governance and development for Gujarat. The goal now is to achieve Viksit Gujarat by 2047, in alignment with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for Viksit Bharat. To further enhance this development narrative, the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, has decided to celebrate Vikas Saptah annually in a planned manner.
