Shah attends multiple events, lays foundation for sports centre for para-athletes in Gandhinagar

GANDHINAGAR: Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah visited some of the major events in Gujarat, including laying the foundation stone for the High-Performance Sports Centre for para-sports persons in Gandhinagar.

The function also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Gujarat government’s Department of Science and Technology and Common Service Centres (CSC) for citizen service delivery online.

Speaking at the event, Shah emphasised that the centre, built at a cost of Rs 350 crore, would provide world-class training facilities for para-athletes at state, national, and international levels. He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sports for All” and Gujarat’s progress in sports infrastructure.

He further pointed out that the MoU with CSCs would increase digital services and citizens would be able to avail more than 300 government services—such as Aadhaar, PAN cards, and birth certificates—through nearby CSC centres. Shah pointed out that India’s digital ecosystem had witnessed a spurt in development, with BharatNet reaching 2.14 lakh gram panchayats and the launch of 5G bringing down data costs.

Later, at the Gujarat Bar Council’s oath-taking ceremony, Shah addressed 11,000 newly enrolled advocates, calling it a historic occasion. He reminded them of their responsibility to uphold the Constitution and ensure timely justice. He highlighted the new criminal laws introduced under Modi’s leadership, which aim to deliver justice within three years of an FIR being registered.

At the ‘Closing Festival’ of Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank’s Golden Jubilee, Shah appreciated the bank’s makeover, pointing out its zero-NPA status and contribution to helping farmers. He also reaffirmed the government’s intention to form 2 lakh cooperative societies in five years.

In Ahmedabad, Shah unveiled reprinted books by the Sastu Sahitya Mudranalaya Trust. He emphasised the importance of reading, language preservation, and the role of literature in shaping society. He noted that 24 books had been reprinted, aligning with Modi’s “Vanche Gujarat” campaign to promote reading culture. Shah concluded by emphasising that education and literature should be made universally available.