Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the Kankaria Carnival-2023 in Ahmedabad on Monday, and also launched development projects worth Rs 216 crore. The carnival, which began in 2008 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, has gained global recognition as a festival aimed at providing enjoyment, fun, and entertainment for local citizens, according to a government release.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, various development projects have contributed to the welfare and recreation of citizens, leading to cities with high happiness index and the continuous development of smart and sustainable cities across the country, Patel stated.
The festival, held in the heritage city, has become world-famous and has provided a platform for poor and middle-class children to showcase their talent, in addition to entertainment from renowned cultural artists, the CM added.
During the inauguration, the chief minister also opened a flyover and a railway overbridge, and allocated 141 houses and 14 shops constructed under the redevelopment and public housing policy. He symbolically handed over the keys of houses to two beneficiaries, the release stated.
The theme of the 14th edition of the Kankaria Carnival this year is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.” Patel said that the carnival embodies the noble spirit that the whole world is one family through dance, music, art, and modern technology.
Cultural events will be organized every day until December 31 as part of the festival, with various folk artists performing, according to the release.
At an event to mark Good Governance Day, Patel mentioned that good governance in Gujarat has been achieved through easy and quick delivery of services, using a bottom-up approach and emphasizing the need for joint efforts to reach the people through maximum use of technology.
During the event, Patel launched the updated website of the Chief Minister’s Office, SWAGAT (State-Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) Online, and two new parameters of the CM Dashboard. The new CMO website features easy navigation, mobile responsive pages, and easy sharing of news and press releases. The updated SWAGAT website includes an auto escalation matrix system for quick disposal and monitoring of applications, as well as a real-time performance measurement system and department performance alert monitoring system to make the CM Dashboard more effective.
SWAGAT acts as a bridge between people and the government using technology to solve their day-to-day grievances in a quick and time-bound manner, the statement said. If people’s queries are not resolved within the stipulated time frame, the application is automatically transferred to the higher authority.
