PM Narendra Modi may visit Statue of Unity in October

GANDHINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior ministers of his cabinet and top central government officials are likely to visit the Statue of Unity (SoU) in Narmada district on October 31 to coincide with the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first deputy Prime Minister and the Iron Man of India.
Senior officers of the Government of India visited Gandhinagar on Thursday and held meetings with the chief secretary and other top state government officials in connection with the PM’s visit to Gujarat.
There is a possibility that the cabinet meeting of the Union government being held at the SoU site. “If this happens, it will be the first time that a Union cabinet meeting will be held outside Delhi,” said a top official.
The official said that the Government of India is organising a three-day conference of trainee IAS, IPS and IFS officers at the Statue of Unity site in the memory of Sardar Patel, who was the founder of the Indian Civil Service.
PM Modi, senior ministers in the government and other officials are expected to attend the conference. “The PM has given his consent to address the closing session of the conference,” the official said.
State government officials said that the PM will also dedicate projects worth Rs 250 crore that will come up around the Statue of Unity. “The PM is likely to take part in a couple of other public events. He is likely to spend one night at the Statue of Unity site,” officials said.
The world’s tallest statue was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Modi on October 31, 2018.