Gandhinagar: At the state-level Independence Day celebrations in Amreli on Saturday, chief minister Bhupendra Patel announced a series of measures, including free residential plots for eligible rural families, a Rs 3,428-crore road upgrade programme and a 67% hike in supplementary nutrition rates for anganwadi children.Eligible rural families will be allotted free plots even if gram panchayats do not have adequate village site, govt wasteland or other land. The state govt will purchase private land for the purpose, Patel said.The govt will spend Rs 3,428 crore to upgrade and renovate 210km of roads across 214 stretches to improve road safety and quality. For more than 16.75 lakh anganwadi children aged three to six, the daily allowance for locally procured hot snacks will be raised from Rs 5.10 to Rs 8.50 per child, entailing an additional allocation of Rs 173 crore.The CM also announced that the annual family income ceiling for overseas education loans offered to students from unreserved categories has been raised from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.Patel said Gujarat would remain at the forefront of the Centre’s Shakti ki Saptadhara vision for a developed India by 2047. He highlighted the state’s initiatives in semiconductors, AI and green energy alongside heritage and spiritual projects, describing Gujarat as a blend of modernity and tradition.The celebrations featured a ceremonial flag hoisting, helicopter flower shower, police parade and cultural performances showcasing Saurashtra’s heritage. Police personnel also performed yoga demonstrations, a women’s rifle drill, motorcycle stunts, dog and horse shows.
