Vadodara: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is expected to visit his home state of Gujarat from February 15. During the visit, he is scheduled to participate in religious events in Vadodara and other government events related to the cooperative sector.

Grand Mahashivratri celebration in Vadodara

Shah is expected to attend the Shivji Ki Sawari procession and Maha Aarti at Sursagar Lake in Vadodara on February 15 on the occasion of Mahashivratri. Senior officials, including Municipal Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu and Additional Police Commissioner Leena Patil, have inspected the site and reviewed preparations.

As part of security and traffic arrangements, Vadodara Police have issued a notification stating:

• The procession will pass through major city routes from 1:30 pm to 10 pm.

• No parking has been imposed at 19 locations, and vehicle entry will be restricted on 34 roads.

• Six fire brigade boats will be deployed at Sursagar Lake to prevent any untoward incident.

• Special lighting and cleanliness arrangements have been made along the entire route, including heritage structures.

Digital shift in ration distribution

An initiative of the Food and Civil Supplies Department will also be launched during the visit. A CBDC-based pilot project aims to provide digital ration coupons to beneficiaries via mobile phones, enabling them to access their entitled food grains electronically.

In the first phase, the project will be introduced in Ahmedabad, Anand, Valsad, and Surat districts. Home Minister Shah will be launching this project in Gandhinagar.

National Conference of Cooperation Ministers in Gandhinagar

In the final leg of the visit, Shah will attend the Second National Conference of Cooperation Ministers of all States and Union Territories at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, on February 17–18, 2026.

The conference will:

• Review implementation of decisions taken at the first conference held in New Delhi.

• Discuss challenges, achievements, and experiences in the cooperative sector.

• Deliberate on future strategies with Cooperation Ministers and Secretaries from across the country.

The two-day meeting is expected to provide fresh momentum to the cooperative movement nationwide and serve as a significant milestone for the sector. DeshGujarat