Terming the Sardar Sarovar Dam Project as 'an engineering miracle', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the project has overcome myriad obstacles in its journey to completion.
The prime minister further said that the project, for which even the World Bank refused to provide monetary help terming it as 'hazardous for the environment', made Gujarat win the 'green award'.
"The Sardar Sarovar Dam faced so many obstacles. No other project faced so much difficulty as faced by this project. Even the World Bank did not approve funds for this dam. But we were determined that the project will go on," Prime Minister Modi said, while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
He even thanked the saints and seers of Gujarat for their contribution to the completion of the project and said that when the World Bank refused to fund "it was Gujarat's temples" who extended their helping hand.
Further stressing on the same, the prime minister even slammed the people, who criticised the project and said that the government pledged to complete the project and tried to not get involved in these kinds of politics.
"I have the entire list of the people who tried to do politics on this but. I didn't want to do politics on this," he said.
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Dedicating the project to the people of the country, the prime minister said that the "lack of water resources has been a major factor in slowing the pace of development."
He said that the water of River Narmada will help citizens and transform several lives.
The prime minister said that the western part of India lacks adequate water supply and in the eastern part there is a shortage of electricity, gas supply, adding that his government is working to overcome these shortages and take Indian to new heights.
Remembering Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi said the two leaders gave great emphasis to irrigation and waterways and their soul would be happy to see this project.
"The 'Statue of Unity' being built in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will be a fitting tribute to him and will draw tourists from all over," he said.
He also conveyed gratitude to people for greeting him on his birthday which coincided with the event and said that he would keep working for the welfare of the people and to fulfill their dreams.
He even urged people to leave no stone unturned in creating a 'New India' by 2022, when the nation would mark 75 years of India's freedom.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who celebrates his 67th birthday today, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation the Sardar Sarovar Dam, in Kevadia, Gujarat, nearly six decades after its foundation stone was laid.
An official release says that the increase in the height of the dam will facilitate a usable storage of 4.73 Million Acre Feet (MAF) and will greatly benefit the participating states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
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