New Delhi, 31 October (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on Saturday, marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The programme will feature a tribute at the Statue of Unity, the inauguration and foundation-laying of development projects worth more than Rs 400 crore, and a series of cultural presentations highlighting India's unity, diversity and national heritage.

According to the itinerary released by the Prime Minister's Office,PM Modi will offer floral tributes at the Statue of Unity at around 9 am. At approximately 9:15 am, he will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stones for various development projects worth over Rs 400 crore in Ekta Nagar.

The projects scheduled for inauguration include a sewage and water treatment plant, facade lighting works, the upgradation of Narmada Ghat, an IRCTC hotel, and the Rainforest, Unity and Eco Trail facilities. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stones for several initiatives, including the Gora-Bhandra Road Development project, an integrated zero-waste smart solid waste management system, Khalwani eco-tourism development and the integrated development of the Cactus and Butterfly Garden.

Following the programme,PM Modi will visit the Rain Forest and Vaman Vriksha Vatika in Ekta Nagar before participating in the main Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations at around 5:30 pm.

This year's celebrations carry particular significance as the country commemorates the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, whose contribution to the integration of princely states remains central to the country's history.

The Ekta Parade will showcase the discipline, professionalism, courage and dedication of personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces, state police forces and Central Police Organisations. This year's parade will place particular emphasis on the achievements of security forces in combating Left-Wing Extremism and the transformation of previously affected regions towards peace, security and development.

A major attraction will be a special theatrical presentation titled 'Naxal Mukt Bharat', organised by the National School of Drama. The presentation will feature around 2,000 artists drawn from 126 districts that have been affected by Left-Wing Extremism. Through theatrical performances, the artists will depict the challenges faced by communities in these regions and their journey towards peace, security and development.

The overarching theme of this year's Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations will be 'Vande Mataram'. The tableaux and cultural performances will reflect patriotism, national pride and collective belonging, while showcasing the cultural richness of states and Union Territories and their development journeys.

A grand cultural presentation featuring approximately 5,000 artists from across the country will bring together India's diverse classical and folk traditions, music, dance and artistic heritage. The celebrations are intended to highlight the country's cultural plurality while reinforcing the message of national unity.

The Prime Minister's engagements in Gujarat on Saturday follow a series of major announcements and project launches in Banaskantha on Friday. During the first day of his two-day visit, Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation development projects worth more than Rs 14,000 crore. He also released the 24th instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme, amounting to around Rs 19,000 crore, to provide financial assistance to farmers across the country.

Among the key initiatives unveiled on Friday was the Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre at Bhildi in Banaskantha, a 127-acre facility aimed at strengthening cattle breeding, genetic improvement and advanced reproductive technologies. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones for the Ahmedabad Metro Phase-2A airport extension and Phase-2B GIFT City extension, besides several road, agricultural infrastructure and child-friendly Anganwadi projects.

PM Modi also flagged off two new train services — the Ahmedabad (Sabarmati)-Varanasi Express and the Mehsana-Becharaji-Sabarmati MEMU — to strengthen rail connectivity. Other initiatives included the expansion of the potato processing plant at Sanadar and the commissioning of an Automated Storage and Retrieval System for ultra-high-temperature products at Palanpur.

The two-day visit brings together a range of initiatives spanning infrastructure, agriculture, livestock development, transport connectivity, tourism and national commemorations, with the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme forming the centrepiece of the Prime Minister's engagements on October 31.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar