All my colleagues from the Union Cabinet, all the Ministers of the Gujarat Government, all the fellow MPs present, all the MLAs, the head brother of Sardardham Shri Gagji Bhai, Trustee V.K. Patel, Dilip Bhai, all other dignitaries, and my dear brothers and sisters, especially my dear daughters.

As sacred as the name of Sardardham is, equally sacred is its work. Today a hostel is being inaugurated for the service of daughters and for their education. The daughters who will stay in this hostel will have aspirations and dreams and they will get many opportunities to fulfil them. And not only this, when these daughters stand on their own feet and become capable, then they will naturally play an important role in nation building and their families will also become capable. Therefore, first of all, I wish all those daughters who will get the opportunity to stay in this hostel, all the best for their bright future and I also wish all the best to their families.

Friends, 

It is my good fortune that you have given me the opportunity to lay the foundation stone of Girls Hostel Phase 2. Today, due to the herculean efforts of the society, 3 thousand girls are getting a grand building with excellent arrangements and excellent facilities. I have been told that in Baroda too, the construction of a hostel for 2 thousand students is underway and is about to be completed. Many centers for this type of education, learning and training are being built in Surat, Rajkot and Mehsana too. All those who are contributing to these efforts deserve to be congratulated, because our country progresses only with the strength of society. Today on this occasion, I bow at the feet of Sardar Saheb. When I was the Chief Minister, I always used to say that the development of Gujarat is essential for the development of India and today it is a coincidence that what Gujarat has taught me, what I have learnt from Gujarat, is being used for the development of the country. You all know that 25-30 years ago, there were some worrisome things in many parameters in Gujarat. Along with development, Gujarat had to use its strength in many crises in social areas as well, had to face challenges. And when I had just become the Chief Minister, for the first time it came to my notice that daughters are lagging far behind in the field of education, and that thing affected my mind. Many families did not send their daughters to school. Those who got enrolled in school would also soon leave the school and drop out. 25 years ago, you all supported me and the entire situation changed. You all might remember that we used to take out a Rath Yatra for Kanya Shiksha (girls’ education). I remember that the temperature used to be 40-42 degrees, on 13th, 14th, 15th June, going to the village meant going, going from house to house meant going, we used to bring the daughters to school by holding their fingers. We organised such big programmes for the school's Praveshotsav. And it is my good fortune that this work has given us great benefits. Due to that, today the infrastructure of schools was built as per the need, schools got modern facilities, all kinds of systems were developed and teachers were recruited. And the society also participated with great enthusiasm and fulfilled its responsibility. And the result is that today the sons and daughters whom we admitted to school have become doctors, engineers, the dropout ratio has reduced and not only this, the hunger for education has awakened in every corner of Gujarat.

The second major concern was the sin of foeticide. This was such a big stigma on us that many times our society used to worry about this, but the society supported me and started a movement. We had taken out a procession from Surat and took it to Umiya Mata. Son and daughter are equal - this sentiment was strengthened. Our Gujarat is a Gujarat that worships Shakti. Here we have Umiya Mata, Maa Khodal, Maa Kali, Maa Amba, Maa Bahuchar and their blessings. In such a society, foeticide was a stigma. When this feeling arose and we got everyone’s support, then today we have been successful in gradually reducing the huge gap between the number of sons and daughters in Gujarat.

Friends, 

When efforts are made with great objectives and are done with purity, for the betterment of the society, then God also supports and the society in the form of God also supports. And results are also achieved. Today a new awakening has come in the society. We come forward on our own to educate our daughters, to increase their respect and honour, we are creating facilities for them, building grand hostels. The seed that we sowed in Gujarat has today become a mass movement across the country – Beti-Beti, Beti Padhao. Historical work is being done in the country for the safety of women and for women empowerment. When we talk about our daughters, Operation Sindoor, we hear the voice of our daughters, their potential reaches our ears, Lakhpati Didi in villages, the target was 3 crores, we reached 2 crore, Drone Didi etc. has changed the outlook towards our sisters in the entire rural area. Bank Sakhi, Insurance Sakhi, many such schemes are being implemented by our women power to give impetus to the rural economy.

Friends, 

The biggest objective of education is to create people who make positive contributions to society, to increase the capabilities of such people. Today, when we are talking about all this at a very fast pace, it has become relevant. Now there should be competition of skills among us, there should be competition of talent. In any case, skill is the strength of a society. Today, the demand for skilled manpower of India has increased all over the world. For decades in the past, the government maintained this indecisive attitude towards the education system; we have brought about a big change in it; by moving out of the old system, we are changing that situation. And the new National Education Policy that we have implemented, the biggest emphasis in this National Education Policy is on skill, on talent. We have launched the Skill India Mission. Under this, we are working on preparing skilled manpower for crores of youth in different fields. There is a huge demand in the world – today a large part of the world is surrounded by the problem of ageing, it needs youth, and India has the capability to give this to the world. If our youth are skilled, then many employment possibilities are created for them. Their confidence, self-reliance, capability comes from that. The government's emphasis is on providing employment to the youth and creating maximum employment opportunities for it. 11 years ago, there were only a few startups in our country, today the number of startups in India is about to reach 2 lakhs. In this too, these startups have started emerging in Tier 2, Tier 3 and small cities here. We started a Mudra Yojana, loans were available from banks, loans were available without guarantee, due to which 33 lakh crore rupees, just think 33 lakh crore rupees have been given to the youth for self-employment, as a result of which today lakhs of youth have become self-reliant and are providing employment to one or two other people along with themselves. And you know, this time on 15th August I had said and announced a scheme, and on 15th August it was implemented. Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana is a scheme of one lakh crore rupees. Under this, if you give a job to anyone in the private sector, then the government will give him 15 thousand rupees in the first salary.

Friends, 

Today, the infrastructure development work going on in the country is going on at a record pace. Under the PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme, work of installing solar systems is being done on a large scale. Drone and defence industries are growing continuously in India. And the biggest focus and emphasis of the government is on Mission Manufacturing. All these campaigns also create new employment opportunities in Gujarat.

Friends, 

Today the world respects India's labour as well as India's talent and understands its importance. That is why many opportunities are being created in different countries of the world. Our youth are surprising the world with their excellence in various sectors like healthcare, education and space.

Friends, 

This time on Independence Day, from the Red Fort, I have put a lot of emphasis on Swadeshi, I have urged a lot, India should become self-reliant, brother. And today all the people of the society are sitting in front of me. Although in the past I may have earned the blessings for telling you all about the work, but today I must say that you have done all the work and have shown me all those tasks by completing them. And my experience of 25 years is that it has never happened that you have not fulfilled any of my expectations, hence my hunger also increases a bit. Every time, the desire to delegate some work increases. Today I want to say one thing in particular, that in the instability of today's world, the best path for India is to become self-reliant. To become self-reliant means that we should become insistent on indigenous things. Our enthusiasm for Make in India should increase.

The movement of Swadeshi is not 100 years old; it is a movement that will strengthen our future. And you should lead it. The youth of our society, our sons and daughters should do it. It must be ensured that not even a single foreign thing will enter our family, our house. In between, I had said Wed in India, then many people cancelled their marriages abroad and came to India, booked halls and got married here. Once you think about it, feelings for the country arise automatically. Make in India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat is our success, our strength. The future of our coming generations lies in it. So, friends, you must ensure that you always start buying Indian products, then the quality will automatically improve. Because to survive in the market, everyone will make good products, do good packaging, and sell them at a low price. Therefore, it is not good for us if our money goes abroad. And I am confident that you will complete this small task that I have assigned to you by creating awareness in the society and will give new strength to the country.

I also request the traders that now our society is not just of farmers, it has also become a society of traders. As a trader, I say that we should put up a board that only indigenous products are available in my shop, whoever wants to buy indigenous products should come to us and we should also sell only indigenous goods. This is also patriotism. It is not that only Operation Sindoor is patriotism, this is also patriotism. I am conveying this sentiment of mine to you people; you promise that you will definitely complete it by contributing to it. I am very grateful that I have had the opportunity to be amongst you all. I give you all many good wishes. And many blessings to the daughters. Namaskar.

Disclaimer: The speech delivered by the Prime Minister is originally in Gujarati language and has been translated here.

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MJPS/VJ/SS