Gandhinagar, August 11: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel distributed a total of ₹3,850 crore in development grants to the state’s municipal corporations and municipalities during a ceremony held in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.
Under the ‘Golden Jubilee Chief Minister Urban Development Scheme,’ 17 municipal corporations received ₹2,992 crore, while 152 municipalities were allocated ₹858 crore.
The event was attended by Urban Development and Finance Minister Kanu Desai, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, State Minister for Urban Development Darshana Jardosh, and Deputy Whip Jagdish Makwana, who distributed the checks.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation received the largest allocation of ₹870 crore, followed by Surat with ₹770 crore. Vadodara was allocated ₹285 crore, Rajkot ₹232 crore, and Bhavnagar and Jamnagar each received ₹105 crore. Junagadh and Gandhinagar were allocated ₹65 crore.
Gandhidham, Navsari, Porbandar, Surendranagar, Mehsana, Vapi, Nadiad, Anand, and Morbi each received ₹55 crore. Among the municipalities, 41 ‘Class A’ municipalities were allocated ₹307.50 crore, while 34 ‘Class B’ municipalities received ₹221 crore. Additionally, ₹270 crore was allocated to 60 ‘Class C’ municipalities and ₹59.50 crore to 17 ‘Class D’ municipalities.
In his address, Patel emphasized that these grants aim to support comprehensive urban development and improve public facilities and services. He called for citizen services to be “citizen-centric, transparent, accountable, and technology-driven.” Patel noted that people are witnessing the impact of public welfare initiatives, which has raised expectations for further development and improved living standards.
The Chief Minister urged municipal officials, commissioners, and chief officers to ensure that the funds are utilized for high-quality public works. He stated, “Prime Minister Modi laid a strong foundation for urban development by providing greater financial assistance for cities, including celebrating ‘Urban Development Year’ in 2005. Gujarat has since advanced that foundation through extensive development programs.”
Urban Development Minister Kanu Desai highlighted the need for planning urban infrastructure with climate change in mind. He called for clean and green cities and emphasized the collective advancement of the ‘Cleanliness Campaign.’
Vaghani remarked that the tradition of grant allocation for urban development aims to enhance the quality of urban life. He mentioned that initiatives linked to the ‘Self-Reliant India’ vision include planning indigenous fairs for local artisans and workshops for solid waste disposal.
During the ceremony, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also launched two coffee table books titled “20 Years of Urban Development” and “Anant Anadi Vadnagar: A Glorious Saga of Development through Heritage.”
The event was attended by Gandhinagar Mayor Meera Patel, Principal Secretary (Urban Development) M. Thenarasan, Managing Director of Gujarat Urban Development Company Ramya Mohan, CEO of Gujarat Urban Finance Board Veena Patel, and other officials, elected representatives, municipal commissioners, chairpersons, and chief officers.
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