PM Modi launches Mission Schools of Excellence in Gujarat, lays foundation stone of various development projects in poll-bound state

Vibha Sharma

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New Delhi, October 19

Back in poll-bound Gujarat for a two-day visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the ‘Mission Schools of Excellence’ in Trimandir, Adalaj and laid the foundation stone of various development projects worth around Rs 3,580 crore in Junagadh.

Conceived with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore, the Mission will help strengthen education infrastructure by setting up new classrooms, smart classrooms, computer labs and overall up-gradation of the infrastructure of schools in the state, according to an official statement.

The PM also launched projects worth around Rs 4,260 crores at Trimandir.

“It is a milestone for a developed India and a developed Gujarat”, he said, tracing the “improvement” in the education sector in the past two decades. “Gujarat is developing as a knowledge hub of the country, as an innovation hub. PM-SHRI schools which will be model schools for the implementation of the National Education Policy, which is an attempt to free the country from the mentality of slavery and promote talent and innovation,” he added

Lamenting that knowledge of English was taken as a measure of intelligence whereas language is just a medium of communication, the PM said: “But for so many decades, language had become such a hindrance that the country could not get the benefit of the talent pool in the villages and poor families”

“Now this situation is being changed. Now students have started getting the option of studying science, technology, and medicine in Indian languages too. Efforts are underway to make courses in several Indian languages including Gujarati,” he said, addressing the gathering in his home state where his frequent visits linked to launch of projects and the delinking of state elections from Himachal Pradesh has led to widespread speculations about the BJP’s prospects in the forthcoming elections.

While Congress almost gave the BJP a scare in 2017, AAP this time has added another angle to the contest, making it a “keen contest” for all the three main players.

Amid the buzz that the election schedule for Gujarat may be announced after Diwali, speculations also are that the long gap between polling and counting in Himachal means is elections in the PM’s home state may also be held around the same time to ensure result declared on the same day

Opposition and critics, however, believe the BJP has been given some extra time for the PM to announce more projects before the Model Code of Conduct kicks in.