Modi budgets $33 million for statue

[Levina]

A lil ambitious project...
Money was generously allocated for sure , but i do support the idea that sardar vallabh bhai patel should be given more importance than he was given hitherto.

 

[Donatello]

You really think that. look Usa also have library of congress but they still think that it not enough so they have liberty statue and mount Vernon and Rushmore as symbolism as idol of nationalism and respect of their leaders

Do you even read what you write? Statue of Liberty does not 'respect' their leaders in any way. It was a gift by people of France and idolizes the liberty that Americans believe in. And the number of libraries and their economic benefits in America are far far more than any statue that they have. Economic benefits mean not only the 'cash' but more than that. The building of a nation, which got its priorities right.

No. A library does not have the same economic prospects that a grand tourist structure does like the worlds largest statue.

If made, it would become a defining landmark of Gujarat like Statue of Liberty is for NY. It would bring millions of tourists coming to see it.

Stop comparing it with Statue of Liberty. What's your fetish with that? Statue of Liberty was a a gift by France.

 

[MilSpec]

Sir ji we have library of many famous people including Bhagat Singh etc but it couldn't count look every nation have symbolism eg Usa have statue of liberty , mount Rushmore as symbolism including library of congress we need It to be symbol of nationalism for our comming generations.

Yes, you might be correct... I am not very good at understanding the national sentiment having lived outside for almost 7 years now, it's just when it comes to India, hypocrisy creeps into me where I feel," arre yaar, itte paise kahi aur kharch karte to achha hota." ... that's my desi flaw...

 

[Contrarian]

Stop comparing it with Statue of Liberty. What's your fetish with that? Statue of Liberty was a a gift by France.

You need to understand that it does not matter whether it was gifted or not.
As of this day, it generates huge tourist footfalls and consequent economic benefits.

There are 4 benefits at play here:
1. Economic - It will become the absolute defining structure of Gujarat, like Taj Mahal is for UP, Qutub Minar is for Delhi bringing millions of tourists from all parts of India and abroad each year.
2. Media value - International coverage adding to Incredible India! campaign becoming somewhat of a brand for Gujarat, something it lacks till now.
3. Social - The contribution of Sardar Patel has been consistently downgraded by Congress. Having his statue would be a big boost to his social outlook and value in India which is a requirement.
4. Allied - Symbolic value of the Unity of India.

These are written down in their order of importance.

A library, while beneficial in its own way and required in its own right, will not deliver these benefits. Lastly, we have big libraries already in India. In a world where students and professionals are increasingly using online resources for their needs, a physical library has limited returns - both economic and social.

And a National digital library is already on the works.

EDIT: Just thought, having the worlds largest library would be an amazing thing if we can put it at Nalanda University.

 

[wolfschanzze]

No issues with the 33 million statue, but is it really necessary, instead a 100 million Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Public Library would have been cooler.

The statue is part of University,theme parks,Research Institute
Museum & Audio Visual Gallery
A Laser, Light and Sound show:
Research Centre :
A Monumental Lift :
Hospitality & Entertainment :
Ferry Services :
Which will boost tourism and provide jobs
Statue Of Unity Official Website - Features of the Project

 

[NKVD]

Do you even read what you write? Statue of Liberty does not 'respect' their leaders in any way. It was a gift by people of France and idolizes the liberty that Americans believe in. And the number of libraries and their economic benefits in America are far far more than any statue that they have. Economic benefits mean not only the 'cash' but more than that. The building of a nation, which got its priorities right.



Stop comparing it with Statue of Liberty. What's your fetish with that? Statue of Liberty was a a gift by France.

Sirji What about mountain Rushmore what's it's relevance and mount Vernon (jeorge Washington) plus Lincoln statue and whole memorial dedicated for him in Washington it's part of symbolic nationalism that's why we have amour jaan Jyoti at india gate with gun and helmet of unknown soilder as symbol &respect of our Soilders that's why we hoist our flag from all quila as it is relavance of secular india.

 

[NKVD]

Yes, you might be correct... I am not very good at understanding the national sentiment having lived outside for almost 7 years now, it's just when it comes to India, hypocrisy creeps into me where I feel," arre yaar, itte paise kahi aur kharch karte to achha hota." ... that's my desi flaw...

Look these idols are strong impact on idea of o nationalism if you have been too Washington might seen a Lincoln memorial there its because of its have relavance it's shows what sacrifice (CIVIL WAR)US made to achieve its goal to be a nation.The memorial impacted on the coming generation as cultivated a idea of nationalism in them by remembering Lincoln sacrifice for the uniting nation as United States.

 

[harpoon]

With thousands of institutions , airports, roads, universities and projects named after the Gandhi family its high time that Sardar Patel got his due.

 

[lightoftruth]

Our country is young aspects of nation-building needs to be incorporated be it by books,movies or statues.etc

 

[Supply&Demand]

I am big supporter of Patel and a fan of Modi too...but i think the building such a big statue would be an overkill and wastage of money..I would have liked if they had named some program or even one of the new cities after him..and spent this money on something else..

in fact, if we have to spend this money on a statue why not spend it on the planned war memorial and make it even more grander...just my personal thoughts

 

[third eye]

A fitting tribute to the man who made India the way it stands today.

Were it not for him there may well have been a South & SW Pakistan too not to mention no J&K either.

 

[INDIC]

Modi budgets $33 million to help build world's tallest statue
BY FRANK JACK DANIEL, NEW DELHI Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:29pm IST

Narendra Modi waves towards supporters while flagging off vehicles with resource kits for collection of iron and soil to build ''Statue of Unity'', a 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, in Ahmedabad December 28, 2013

(Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set aside $33 million of government money to help fund the construction of the world's tallest statue, a project close to the newly elected leader's heart.

Modi launched the project to build the bronze-and-iron statue - which aims to be twice the height of the Statue of Liberty at 182 metres - half a year before he was elected prime minister in May to honour one of the country's founding fathers Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The tribute was widely seen as a bid to break the grip over India's post-independence history of the Nehru-Gandhi ruling dynasty that Modi sought to unseat in the election.

Patel was the deputy of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as well as his home minister, but was often at odds with him.

The total cost of the project, estimated at some $338 million, was originally to have been fully funded by the government of Gujarat, the home state of both Modi and Patel, and public donations.

The announcement that the central government would chip in, which was buried in a two-and-a-quarter-hour budget speech by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday, quickly sparked a debate about whether the expenditure was justified.

Some users of social media noted that the money allocated was the same as the amount allocated for women's safety, in a country plagued by violence against women, and twice that to promote education for girls.

Others said the statue, which is to be built on a river island in Gujarat, would be a major global tourist attraction, which justified the outlay.

"Sardar Patel stands as the symbol of the unity of the country," Jaitley said in the speech to parliament.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) credits Patel with using strong-arm tactics against the hundreds of princes who ruled parts of India at the time of independence to forge a united republic.

Many in Gujarat feel his legacy has been neglected by the once mighty Congress party.

Nehru and his descendants ruled India for most of the period since independence from the British in 1947, and numerous development projects are named after Nehru, his daughter Indira and her son Rajiv Gandhi.

Modi seems bent on creating a nationalist symbol in Patel that strays away from the legacy of a dynasty that he blames for many of India's ills, including poverty and corruption.

Modi has previously said that every Indian "regrets Sardar Patel did not become the first prime minister. Had he been the first prime minister, the country's fate and face would have been completely different."

Modi budgets $33 million to help build world's tallest statue| Reuters

The $33 million will be recovered by tourism to the site so nothing is being wasted and people like Sardar Patel deserve such kind of respect and attention seeing his contribution in building the modern India. We have one piece India because of Sardar Patel.

 

[IND151]

[quote="Supply&Demand, post: 5900974, member: 138677"]I am big supporter of Patel and a fan of Modi too...but i think the building such a big statue would be an overkill and wastage of money..I would have liked if they had named some program or even one of the new cities after him..and spent this money on something else..

in fact, if we have to spend this money on a statue why not spend it on the planned war memorial and make it even more grander...just my personal thoughts[/quote]

It will be a tourist attraction and will generate revenue too.

And in addition we should have a mega structure, whats wrong in it?

 

[UFO77]

Mr Modi's imagination is the biggest factor, he was elected to continue the powerful and unconstrained style fantasy, we these neighbors are happy to see such an unrealistic, India's prime minister.

 

[third eye]

Mr Modi's imagination is the biggest factor, he was elected to continue the powerful and unconstrained style fantasy, we these neighbors are happy to see such an unrealistic, India's prime minister.

In which case you are only seeing not comprehending.