New Delhi, 10 June, 2014

●Statue of Unity to be given central assistance as national asset
● CM seeks uplift of coastal state highways to national highways
● GoI must fund completion of Dandi heritage route
● Expedite extension of Ahmedabad-Mumbai expressway
● Performance based grant to be given to Gujarat under 13th Finance Commission
● GoI must expedite completion of Ahmedabad metro link
● Construction of spillway piers to raise height of Sardar Sarovar Dam

Gujarat Chief Minister Smt Anandiben Patel today held a string of meetings with Union Ministers to discuss and deliberate upon Gujarat Government’s pending issues with the Central Government. This was first meeting with the Union Ministers after she was sworn in as Gujarat’s first woman Chief Minister. Yesterday, she met Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and sought his intervention in resolving pending issues lying with different ministries and departments in the UPA regime.

During her meeting with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Smt Patel took up the issue on upgradation of state highways including coastal highways to national highways. She said that Gujarat is having a longest coastline of 1,600 km, which is 25 per cent of country’s total coastline. Major ports like Kandla, Mundra, Pipavav and about 40 medium and minor ports are active along the coastline. These ports are strategically located and serve the huge hinterland of Northern and Central India. Gujarat has become the gateway of global business and trade, she said and urged the Union Minister for transport to consider the demand of the state government in the national interest.

She also mentioned the inappropriate delay in completion of Dandi heritage route in Gujarat state. She requested the Union Minister to provide financial assistance for completion of remaining work of the Dandi Heritage project phase II and that it shall be given its due special importance.

The Gujarat Chief Minister also urged to expedite the work of approved project of the extension of Ahmedabad-Vadodara expressway to Mumbai.

Smt Anandiben Patel called on Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley and demanded that the Statue of Unity to be built on Narmada River in Gujarat to be considered as a national project and the Central Government should provide financial assistance for speedy completion of the project. She also pointed out the issue of funds to be released on performance basis to Gujarat as per the guidelines of the 13th Finance Commission.

Gujarat Chief Minister also met Union Ministers Smt Nirmala Sitharaman and Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu and raised the issue of Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro link. She urged that GoI should give substantial financial assistance for early completion of Phase I of metro rail project and also should sanction the land of old railway lines for the project.

The Gujarat Chief Minister called on Union Minister for Water Resources Sushri Uma Bharti and reiterated the long persisting demand for treating DDP areas at par with DPAP areas through Central assistance under the “Modified AIBP” scheme for all projects including Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) project to expedite its early completion.

Smt Patel further sought the Centre’s timely intervention in granting permission related to raising of the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam upto next stage, i.e., construction of spillway piers to full height, bridge and installation of gates at the project site.

The Gujarat Chief Minister met Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and discussed various issues pertaining to marine and border security. She brought to fore the pending task of completion of border fencing in Kutchh region bordering Pakistan and urged the issue be immediately attended to considering the 512 km long land border with Pakistan. Smt Patel also demanded a considerable increase in amount for construction of jetties as part of the Coastal security Scheme (Phase-II) by the GoI. She also asked for increasing the number of jetties in Gujarat keeping its long coastline in view.

The Gujarat Chief Minister asserted for a need to establish a dedicated Marine Training Academy and associated infrastructure in Gujarat by GoI. She further requested for establishing a regional centre of NSG in the state.

Earlier in the day, Smt Anandiben Patel called on senior leaders Shri L.K. Advani and Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi as courtesy visits to the veterans.