Last year on 5th November, 2016, Parsi Times extensively covered Union Cabinet Minister of Textiles, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani’s visit to Udvada, where she declared adopting Udvada village, under the rural development program, ‘Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana’. This program, launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2014, necessitates each Member of Parliament to choose one village and convert it into a model town, by fixing certain parameters. Parsi Times Asst. Editor, Delaveen Tarapore, follows up on the project and highlights pertinent areas where funds have been allocated./otw_shortcode_info_box]

On 19th March, 2017, Smt. Smriti Irani visited Udvada village and laid the foundation stone initiating various development projects. A total of Rs. 8.41 Crores has been assigned to make the twenty-one pointer proposal a reality. Smt. Irani’s two hour visit saw her exploring various sites around Udvada village and inaugurating projects, thus giving it a head start. Supporting her in these initiatives were Vada Dasturji of Udvada, Khurshed Dastoor, local Member of Parliament (MP), Shri. Dr. KC Patel, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Shri. Kanubhai Desai, Head of Jilla Punchayat, Jitendrabhai Tandel, Collector Raamya Mohan and General Manager of BSNL, Hemant Patel.

The following are some of the essentials Welfare Projects and their corresponding investments undertaken for the projects:

Besides these major initiatives, the total sum also includes the cost of the construction of a bus stand, dining hall and a primary school, a play school, training centre, construction of the Agiary’s back road, amongst others. While the cost of the construction of the PP Mistry School building was sanctioned on the spot on 31st October, 2016, the installation of CCTV cameras and wi-fi is an initiative under PM Modi’s ‘Digital India’ Campaign.

 

 

Speaking to Parsi Times, Vada Dasturji of Udvada, Khurshed Dastoor said, “This is a golden opportunity for Parsis and we are thankful to Smt. Smriti Irani and the Central Government of India for taking a keen interest in the welfare of Udvada. With the sanction of Rs. 8 crores, almost all the basic infrastructure necessities of Udvada will be taken care. We are also thankful to the administration of the Gujarat Government.

As per the Collector’s promise, all the projects will be completed by Diwali this year.  With regards to the issue of the increase in  length and height of the railway platform at Udvada station, we have sent letters to the Union Railway Minister, Mr. Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mr. Mukhatar Abbas Naqvi and the same has been referred to Smt. Irani to expedite the project. ”