Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], April 1 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the newly built state-of-the-art girls' hostel and Bhojnalaya building by unveiling the plaque at Devka Vidyapeeth in Rajula taluka of Amreli district.

On this occasion, CM stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the strong foundation for girls' education in Gujarat during his tenure as Chief Minister. He added that an education system has been developed that enables children from economically weaker families to pursue education and progress in life, according to a release.

Highlighting the success of the Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav, CM said that these initiatives, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have helped to reduce the dropout rate to nearly 2 per cent. To ensure that girls do not discontinue their studies due to financial constraints, the State Government has introduced the Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana. So far, financial assistance of Rs 1,438 crore has been provided to 21.34 lakh girls under the 'Namo Lakshmi' scheme, while Rs 220 crore has been directly deposited into the bank accounts of 2.96 lakh students under the 'Namo Saraswati' scheme.

Describing various welfare schemes of the State Government in the education sector as game changers, CM said that the girls of Gujarat are advancing in every field, including education, sports, startups, research, and administration, the release said.

CM lauded Devka Vidyapeeth for its unique and commendable efforts in providing value-based education alongside academics, including personality development, character building, Geeta Path and the nurturing of cultural values. He also congratulated Pujya Shri Ramesh Oza and Devka Vidyapeeth.

Founder of Devka Vidyapeeth and Bhagwat Kathakar Pujya Ramesh Oza, while sharing his views, said that the future of any nation lies in its children. He emphasised the need to focus on students who perform poorly in the education system and nurture their talents. He added that education plays a vital role in developing students' capabilities, according to the release

He further praised India's capabilities as among the best in the world and added that the country is today playing a leading role on the global stage.

Notably, Devka Vidyapeeth was inaugurated in 2012 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister.

The event was graced by Water Resources Minister Ishwarsinh Patel and Minister of State Kaushik Vekariya.

During the inauguration ceremony of the Devka Vidyapeeth Girls' Hostel and Bhojnalaya building, Devka Vidyapeeth trustees, including Suryakant Oza and Shri Gautam Oza, Chaparda Gurukul Founder Muktanand BAPU, MLA Hirabhai Solanki, and Mahesh Kaswala, along with a large number of students and residents, were present. (ANI)