Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, performed “bhumi pujan” ceremony of Hostel Phase-1 (Boys' Hostel), constructed by Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj in Surat via video conferencing.
While addressing the gathering via video conferencing, PM Modi said that the hostel will give a new direction to the youth.
"With this initiative in the field of education, Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj will give a new direction to the youth and help them fulfil their dreams. I've been told that hostel construction of both phases will be completed by 2024," PM Modi said.
"There was a time when Gujarat had a shortage of quality education and teachers...Dropout rate in girls was a challenge due to various reasons and one such was lack of washroom facilities. With various schemes today dropout rate has declined, there are washrooms for girls," he added.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was also present during the event.
According to the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the hostel building has residential facilities for around 1500 students. It also contains an auditorium and a dedicated library for the students.
Construction of Hostel Phase-II to accommodate around 500 girls will start from next year. Saurashtra Patel Seva Samaj is a registered trust established in 1983 whose main objective is the educational and social transformation of weaker sections of society.
"It helps in preparing students for various competitive exams and also provides them with a platform for entrepreneurship & skill development," it added.
(With inputs from ANI)
