Narendra Modi’s address to Kolkata Gujarati Samaj(Video)

Kolkata, 9 April 2013

During his busy Kolkata visit with six programmes lined up one-by-one, Shri Narendra Modi took time to visit a new building of Kolkata Gujarati Samaj and addressed a gathering of Gujarati Samaj. Shri Modi was felicitated by Gujarati Samaj people.

Below are excerpts from Shri Modi’s speech:

Any Gujarati, in any corner of the world, if they talk of Gujarat it is with the head held high. This is what Gujarat has achieved.

“Today, any Gujarati is questioned about the Gujarat development model, so today; the people of Gujarat are well-equipped with knowledge about Gujarat’s growth.”

“There was a time Kutch had negative growth. People went elsewhere, now it is reverse. People are returning to Gujarat.”

-12-15 years ago if you met someone and said you are from Gujarat, the expression looked like food without salt. Today if you say you are from Gujarat do you notice the difference?

-Any Gujarati, in any corner of the world, if they talk of Gujarat it is with the head held high. This is what Gujarat has achieved.

-Relation with our roots must be strengthened as much as possible

-It is my dream to turn Gandhinagar into a Solar City.

-There was a time Kutch had negative growth. People went elsewhere, now it is reverse. People are returning to Gujarat.

-Once a year, you must send your children for Gujarat Darshan. They should visit villages, Mohallas, relatives. We may have been out for years but we must link our new generations with Gujarat. This is because we have to build a link with Gujarat.

-Let us use social media & through Facebook, Twitter connect with people from Gujarat. If you are enthusiastic then I am ready! I have experienced power of social media.

-I am one of the most active people on social media. I connect with lakhs of people.

-Relation with our roots must be strengthened as much as possible.

-We should have a good Gujarati library. Children can know who our writers are. Nowadays there is e-library where you can get over 20 lac books.”

-Gujarat Jova Jevu Che, Gujarat Java Jevu Che.

-We have 1600 km coastline. In the past people thought what is this, only salty water and people left villages, went where place.

-In coming days a new Gujarat within Gujarat will develop on the coast of Gujarat.

-Dholera Special Investment Region will be six times the size of Shanghai.

-We also plan to build GIFT, a city dedicated for Financial Technology.

-The Central Government is fighting over 6 and 9 cylinders. We have a gas grid pipeline of 2200 Km.

-Since 2009, every village in Gujarat has broadband connectivity.

-In 2001, there were 11 universities in Gujarat, today there are 42 universities. We have specialized universities like GNLU, Petroleum University, Raksha Shakti University. Many youth will benefit from these universities.

-Gujarat has 2.5 lakh Sakhi Mandals in the state. Women are engaged in economic activities worth 1700 Cr through Sakhi Mandals, we wish to increase this to 5000 Cr.