PM Modi declares Modhera in Gujarat as India's first 24x7 solar-powered village
Modhera (Gujarat), Oct 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday declared Modhera in Gujarat's Mehsana district as the country's first 24X7 "solar-powered" village.
Addressing a rally after the function, Modi said Modhera was once subject to countless atrocities of all kinds committed by invaders in the past, but is growing now with modernity while retaining its ancient character.
He said Modhera, famous for the Sun temple, will also be known as a solar-powered village.
On the first day of his three-day visit to his home state, where elections are due in December this year, the prime minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple projects worth over Rs 3,900 crore at the Modhera event.
The solar project, a first of its kind in the country, realises the Prime Minister's vision of solarisation of the sun-temple town of Modhera.
It involves developing a ground-mounted solar power plant and more than 1300 rooftop solar systems on residential and government buildings, all integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), as per a government release.
"Whenever there will be talks of solar power, Modhera will be the first name to emerge. Because here everything is running on solar power. Whether it is light, farm....even effort is being made to run buses, vehicles on solar power.
"For a self-reliant India of the 21st century, we have to encourage such efforts for our energy needs. I am working day and night to take the country in the direction of providing (energy security) for Gujarat, the country, and to our coming generation," said the prime minister.
Modhera is known for the Sun temple situated on the bank of the Pushpavati river. The temple was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chalukya dynasty.
Shifting to Gujarati intermittently during his speech, Modi said the solar rooftop project will help residents of Modhera not just generate free electricity for their needs but will also help them earn money by selling extra units of electricity to power distributors.
"House owners and farmers have now become owners of electricity factories," he said.
After the event, the prime minister visited the temple of goddess Modheshwari in Modhera town and performed darshan and pooja. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and state BJP chief C R Paatil.
Modi waved at the people standing along both sides of the road on his way to the temple.
The projects dedicated to the nation by the prime minister include a gauge conversion project, ONGC's Nandasan geological oil production project, an irrigation canal project, road projects, and a building of a regional training centre for Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA), among others.
He also laid the foundation stone for a new automated milk powder plant and UHT milk carton plant at Dudhsagar Dairy, redevelopment and reconstruction of a government hospital in Mehsana, etc.
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IPL final shifted for bigger stadium, not ticket issue: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday rubbished allegations that the IPL final venue was shifted from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad due to the distribution of tickets to MLAs.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the reason for the shift could be the availability of a larger stadium in Ahmedabad.
“Ahmedabad has a large stadium and can accommodate more spectators. That must be the reason the IPL final was shifted there. There is no connection between ticket distribution to MLAs and the venue change,” he said.
When asked about reports linking the venue shift to MLAs demanding tickets, he quipped, “In some places, 50 per cent of tickets are reserved.”
When reporters said the BCCI had indicated that the decision was linked to ticket issues, he responded, “Let them make such statements. I will respond appropriately.”
Bengaluru was originally expected to host the final as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru were the defending champions.
Ahmedabad will host the IPL final for a second successive season on May 31, the BCCI announced earlier in the day, while allotting Qualifier 1 to Dharamsala and two other playoff games to New Chandigarh.
The board, however, said the final venue was shifted “owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols.”
Shivakumar declined to comment on the revocation of the suspension of Muslim leaders in Davanagere, saying it was a party decision.
Regarding the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed as CM Siddaramaiah’s political secretary, he said the chief minister had already spoken on the matter.
“The CM has his own information. Party office-bearers have provided guidance. He was given certain responsibilities, which he did not handle properly, which is why he was removed,” Shivakumar said.
On MLC Abdul Jabbar, who resigned as the state Congress minority cell chief and was later expelled from the party, he said Jabbar had submitted his resignation, which the party accepted.
The Congress in Karnataka faced internal dissent in April when several Muslim leaders objected to the party fielding Samarth Shamanur as its candidate for the recently held Davanagere South Assembly bypoll.
They demanded that a Muslim candidate be fielded, citing the constituency’s substantial Muslim population. The party subsequently took disciplinary action against three leaders, including Jabbar and MLC Ahmed.
When asked about his and the CM’s visit to Delhi, he said, “We will go when the high command calls us. It is not appropriate to go without being called.”
On Congress supporting TVK in Tamil Nadu, Shivakumar said the decision was taken to keep the "BJP out of power and strengthen secular forces." Elections to the 234 Assembly constituencies were held on April 23, and the results were announced on May 4.
The Congress party, a long-time ally of the DMK, announced its support for TVK to form a government in Tamil Nadu and severed ties with the Dravidian major.
The incumbent DMK was trounced by the fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Vijay, who secured 108 seats. “Despite pressure from the AIADMK and BJP, TVK did not align with them. Our party has taken this decision in the interest of secular forces and the welfare of Tamil Nadu,” Shivakumar said.
