New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat, will launch Mission LiFE at Kevadia today. He will also participate in the 10th Heads of Missions Conference. Later in the day, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of various development initiatives at Vyara.


On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of a new IAF base In Gujarat's Deesa at the inauguration ceremony of Defence Expo 2022. 


Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, PM Modi said that Defence Expo is displaying new India's grand picture which has youth power, young dreams and young courage. "Defence Expo 2022 is displaying a grand picture of the New India, the resolution for which was taken by us during Amrit Kaal. It has the nation's development, states' participation, youth power, young dreams, young courage and youth's capabilities," news agency ANI quoted PM Modi as saying.


People on Wednesday showered flower petals on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel as they held a roadshow in Rajkot. Prime Minister will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth Rs 7,710 crore and inaugurate the India Urban Housing Conclave 2022 in Rajkot.


During his address at the launch of the Mission Schools of Excellence in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, PM Modi praised 5G, the next-gen network connectivity services. He also spoke about all benefits that 5G will bring, including a complete overhaul of the education sector as a whole. 


“Recently, the nation has entered the fifth generation (5G) era of mobile and Internet services. We have used Internet services up to 4G so far. Now, 5G is about to bring a major change,” PM Modi said during his address. 


He went on to note that 5G will go beyond the prevalent structure of smart classrooms and smart teaching, taking it to the “next level.” PM Modi also made a nod to next-gen services that 5G will help permeate across sectors and among the masses, including virtual reality (VR) and Internet of Things (IoT). He said that thanks to 5G, schools will be able to reap the benefits of VR and IoT.  


Earlier on Tuesday, Rajkot residents had expressed their exhilaration over the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the latter holds a special connection with the city. Modi contested his first election in a by-poll in Rajkot after taking over as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002.


The locals expressed gratitude to their 'vadapradhan' (prime minister), for establishing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Rajkot Greenfield International Airport in the years 2020 and 2022 respectively.


"We are really happy that Prime Minister is coming to Rajkot. We will get a chance to see PM Modi. I want to request him to bring more and more development in Rajkot so that the city comes forward," ANI quoted a local resident as saying.


"Rajkot is the home of PM Modi. He became CM and PM from here. Hence, there is a lot of enthusiasm in Rajkot. He has given Rajkot a lot. We have received an international cargo airport which will become operational within a month," another local Prakash Rajpreet had said.


"It is a matter of great happiness that Prime Minister Modi is coming to Rajkot. He has an old connection with Rajkot. He fought elections from here. His career and journey began in Rajkot. He has given us AIIMS and an international airport. He has done a lot for women's empowerment," another local Nirali Parekh had said.


Earlier in December 2020, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Rajkot through video conference.


(With Inputs from ANI)