- PM Narendra Modi had spoken at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Sardardham Phase-II, Kanya Chhatralaya in Ahmedabad through video message
- He emphasized the significance of empowerment and education of daughters for nation-building
- The new hostel will offer chances to thousands of young women for education and personal achievement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to the foundation stone laying ceremony of Sardardham Phase-II, Kanya Chhatralaya in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in a video message, emphasizing the importance of education and daughters' empowerment in building the nation.
He depicted Sardardham as a name that is as holy as its purpose, mentioning that the new hostel to be opened will allow thousands of young women to avail themselves of education and fulfill their dreams.
"Once such daughters become self-sufficient and strong, they will tend to become part of nation-building and make their families stronger too," he added, wishing the students and their families all the best.
Modi praised being linked with the initiative, pointing out that Sardardham already has world-class facilities for 3,000 students and that hostel projects for further 2,000 students in Vadodara are almost complete.
He further noted that such education and training centers are being established in Surat, Rajkot, and Mehsana.
Looking back on his Chief Ministerial tenure, he remembered the difficulties Gujarat had 25–30 years ago in encouraging girls' education. He spoke of the Kanya Shiksha Rath Yatra, where officials accompanied girls personally to school when the mercury was soaring in summer, with a resultant surge in enrollment.
"Many of these daughters are now doctors and engineers. Dropout levels have decreased, and the aspiration for education has permeated Gujarat," he stated.
PM Modi also criticized female foeticide as a "grave stigma" and lauded Gujarat's mass movement against the practice. He observed that this initiative improved the child sex ratio in the state and promoted a culture of gender equality.
He attributed these initiatives to countrywide drives, saying the seeds sown in Gujarat had sprouted into the broader movement Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.
He also mentioned women empowerment initiatives such as Operation Sindoor, Lakhpati Didis, Drone Didi, Bank Sakhi, and Bima Sakhi, which he said are transforming rural economies and empowering women at the grassroots level.
He further noted the growing startup ecosystem in India, which has proliferated from a handful of ventures a decade ago to nearly 200,000 today, thanks to schemes like the Mudra Yojana.
In addition, he spoke about the new Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana, in which the government contributes ₹15,000 to every new private sector hire's salary.
"Success in Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat is for everyone. Once individuals begin opting for Indian products, the quality will improve naturally with competition," Prime Minister said.
The function was also graced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, and other VIPs.
