Amreli (Gujarat) [India], April 2 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the Piparia (Jhamkudi) River Revitalisation Project at Matirala village in Amreli district, Gujarat, aimed at rejuvenating local water resources and boosting ecological sustainability.

The project is being undertaken as a strategic joint venture between the Government of Gujarat and the Dholakia Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Hari Krishna Group, led by Padma Shri Savji Dholakia.

It will focus on restoring the Piparia (Jhamkudi) River and implementing sustainable measures to enhance water flow, prevent pollution, and support local communities dependent on the river.

Chief Minister also inaugurated the newly built state-of-the-art girls' hostel and Bhojnalaya building on Wednesday 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. (ANI)