Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated his 66th birthday with tribals in central Gujarat, where he announced several irrigation schemes, and with specially abled persons in south Gujarat, where he distributed assistive devices and kits to over 11000 persons.
Mr Modi also visited his mother Hiraba to seek her blessings and expressed his gratitude to the people of Gujarat for their blessings and wishes.
In the tribal district of Dahod, the Prime Minister announced several water supply and lift irrigation projects worth Rs 4800 crore under the Gujarat government's Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojna (Forest dwellers' welfare scheme) and exhorted the farmers and tribals to adopt new and modern farm practices to augment their income and yields.
"Farmers of this area are progressive and modern and have turned to floriculture in big way. They have achieved success despite difficult terrains," he said, lauding the farmers of the region, mostly tribals, who hold small pockets of land in districts like Chotta Udepur, Dahod, Panchmahal, Mahisagar and Narmada.
Stressing that his government was committed to development of all sections and particularly the marginalised and backward, Mr Modi said, "From the first day, I have been saying that ours is a government that is dedicated to the welfare of the poor and the marginalised and mantra of sabka saath sabka vikas is resonating all over in our activities."
In Navsari, the Prime Minister distributed kits and assistive devices such as wheelchairs and hearing aids to specially abled persons.
“I am lucky to celebrate this day with so many divyangs (differently abled). Did any Prime Minister do such event in the past?" Mr Modi asked the audience of more than 10,000 people from across the State.
According to Mr Modi, previous governments held only 57 camps for divyangs while the NDA government held 4,000 in only two years.