Deesa/Ahmedabad: On the first day of his two-day visit to Gujarat on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various development projects in Bhildi, located in the Banaskantha district. During his visit, he held a roadshow and interacted with women engaged in animal husbandry. The Prime Minister transferred approximately Rs 19,000 crore into the bank accounts of farmers across the country as part of the 24th installment of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ (PM-KISAN) scheme.
The Prime Minister arrived at Deesa Airport in the morning, from where he departed for Bhildi. A large crowd gathered in Bhildi to welcome him, with people greeting him by raising slogans during his roadshow. Following this, the Prime Minister engaged with women involved in animal husbandry and listened to their perspectives.
Inauguration of an animal research center spanning 127 acres
In Bhildi, Banaskantha, the Prime Minister dedicated the ‘Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Center’ (BBBRC)—developed over an area of 127 acres—to the nation. This state-of-the-art center will focus on breed improvement, genetic development, and modern breeding techniques for cattle and buffaloes. The initiative aims to accelerate the process of livestock breed improvement by 10 to 20 times. The center has been developed with a specific focus on the conservation and promotion of the Kankrej breed of cattle.
The Prime Minister also inspected the advanced ET-IVF (Embryo Transfer – In Vitro Fertilization) laboratory established at the center. During his visit, he interacted with students from the Banaskantha Sainik School, women engaged in animal husbandry, and local youth.
Foundation stones laid for two Bio-CNG plants
The foundation stones were also laid for two Bio-CNG plants to be established by Banas Dairy in Tharad and Radhanpur. These plants will have the capacity to process 75 and 100 metric tons of cattle dung per day, respectively. This will enable the use of cow dung for energy production. The project will not only promote clean energy but also enhance the economic value of cow dung for livestock farmers.
Benefits for Potato Farmers
The program also emphasized strengthening the ecosystem for potato processing. This project integrates the entire value chain—from the provision of certified seeds to the processing of potatoes. It is expected that this will ensure fair prices for farmers’ produce and provide better procurement facilities.
Waste generated during the processing stage will be used to produce biogas, while the remaining residue will be made available to farmers as organic fertilizer. The objective is to boost potato processing, increase farmers’ income, and encourage the export of value-added potato products.
During his visit to Gujarat, the Prime Minister is also inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹14,000 crore in the state. Additionally, he flagged off two new passenger trains.
Referring to the massive ‘Khatla Sabha’ (a traditional community gathering on cots) organized for farmers, the Prime Minister remarked that such a large-scale gathering is likely unprecedented globally and could be considered equivalent to a Guinness World Record.
The Prime Minister will also participate in the National Unity Day (‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’) events on October 31.
