Ekta Nagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Ekta Nagar on Saturday, marking Patel's 151st birth anniversary as India observed Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. In Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also offered tributes and flagged off the Run for Unity, while cities across the country held unity runs and pledge events, India Today reported via News89.

Source: India Today via News89

At the Statue of Unity campus, the Prime Minister's programme includes inaugurating 23 projects worth Rs 307.83 crore and laying the foundation stones for eight projects worth Rs 118.88 crore — a combined Rs 426.71 crore of tourism and infrastructure work. The projects being inaugurated include an IRCTC hotel built at a cost of Rs 50 crore, an Ekta Cruise costing Rs 16 crore, a Rain Forest attraction worth Rs 14.30 crore and an Eco Trail costing Rs 3.67 crore, IANS reported.

Source: IANS via NewKerala

The wider package covers sewage and water treatment plants, travelators, a parade track, staff quarters, road improvements, facade lighting at the Statue of Unity campus and the development of Ekta Prakash Parv, while the foundation-stone list includes the Gora-Bhanadra Road, a smart zero-waste integrated solid waste management project, Khalwani Eco-Tourism and an integrated Cactus and Butterfly Garden, according to IANS.

Source: IANS

31Projects in the package
Rs 426.71 croreCombined outlay
23Projects to be inaugurated (Rs 307.83 crore)
8Foundation stones (Rs 118.88 crore)

The evening Rashtriya Ekta Diwas programme, scheduled for around 5:30 p.m., will feature an Ekta Parade by Central Armed Police Forces, state police forces and central police organisations, a theatrical presentation on 'Naxal Mukt Bharat' by the National School of Drama involving around 2,000 artistes from 126 districts affected by Left-Wing Extremism, and tableaux and cultural performances on the theme 'Vande Mataram' with around 5,000 artistes taking part, IANS reported. The Prime Minister will also visit the Rain Forest and Vaman Vriksha Vatika during the day.

Source: IANS via NewKerala

The celebrations began on Friday evening, when the Prime Minister inaugurated Bharat Parv 2026 and visited the Ekta Prakash Parv illumination festival at Ekta Nagar. Read: PM Modi inaugurates Bharat Parv 2026