Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], June 27 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday monitored the real-time progress and organisation of the 148th Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad.

Commencing the Rath Yatra from the Jagannath Temple in the morning with the Pahind ceremony, he closely monitored the Rath Yatra route in the afternoon via a video wall, after reaching the Chief Minister's residence.

According to an official release, he gathered insights about the location of the chariot, the surveillance of the Rath Yatra, and the security arrangements being implemented by the police using AI and drone technology.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister and Home Department MK Das, Director General of Police Vikas Sahay, along with senior officials from the police, municipal corporation, and ICT teams.

Meanwhile, Patel today stated that education is the foundational pillar of a developed society and a progressive state. He emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always given special importance to schools, teachers, and education.

On the second day of the Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav and Shala Praveshotsav 2025, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Beej, Chief Minister Patel visited the Primary School in Pundrasan village, Gandhinagar district. He welcomed 197 children into the school by gifting them educational kits. The Chief Minister also interacted affectionately with the young children, encouraging them to pursue learning with enthusiasm, said the release.

CM highlighted that to raise awareness about the importance and necessity of education and to build an educated future generation in Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi launched the statewide Shala Praveshotsav initiative in 2003. As a result of this sustained effort, parents and communities today have come to understand and value the role of education deeply.

The Chief Minister stated that the Gujarat Government has launched several education-focused schemes to ensure no child is deprived of schooling due to financial challenges. He urged parents to utilise these schemes and take responsibility for their children's education. He noted that government schools are now equipped with modern facilities, such as smart classrooms, and that improved teaching methods have led many students to shift from private to government schools. The Chief Minister also highlighted that communities are actively working to promote education, with the state government extending full support to such efforts. (ANI)