Daman, 17 FEBRUARY, 2020:President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said the NDA government is taking several steps to strengthen the rural economy and it has announced to spend Rs 25 lakh crore on the agriculture sector across the country.

Kovind was speaking here after laying the foundation stone of various works and inaugurating some developmental projects of the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu through remote control.

Addressing a gathering, Kovind congratulated people over the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli last month.

The Parliament in December last year passed a bill to merge Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli into one unit, with an aim to strengthen administrative efficiency and fast track the development of the two union territories.

"The central government is taking various steps to strengthen the rural economy. The government has recently announced to invest around Rs 25 crore in the agricultural sector," Kovind said.

"I am told that many projects, such as the 'PM Kisan Nidhi', 'Gir Adarsh Aajivika Yojna' and 50 per cent subsidy for farmers on purchase of seeds and machinery, are being implemented here to increase farmer's income," he said.

The president inaugurated seven new health centres and laid the foundation stone of 15 more such facilities in the newly merged union territory.

Besides, he inaugurated a garden near Daman jetty, the Dabhel sports complex in Daman, the renovated Jampore beach of Daman and two high level bridges in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The president, who is on a one-day visit to the union territory, said it is still a challenge to provide adequate drinking water in rural areas and such scarcity makes lives of women difficult.

He said an integrated water management unit in Dadra & Nagar Haveli, inaugurated on Monday, would address the issue.

After inaugurating a new garden and sports complex here, he said such facilities would help attract more visitors and make the union territory emerge as an important tourist destination in future.

The president informed that work to upgrade the Vinoba Bhave Civil Hospital in Silvassa to a 650-bed hospital has already started and Daman would also get a 300-bed hospital soon.

He said in a new approach, 30 health centres in the union territory are being upgraded with the help of MP Local Area Development Fund and financial contribution by industries under their CSR activity.

Kovind also lauded 100 per cent enrollment of girls in primary schools of Daman.

"You all are working on the path shown by Dr B R Ambedkar. He had said people need to educate their daughters if they want to uplift their entire generation," he added.

In the evening, the president will inaugurate the Jampore Sea Front Road from Moti Daman Jetty to Jampore Beach and an Ayushman Bharat Wellness Centre in the same area.

He would later visit Silvassa town in Dadra and Nagar Haveli to witness a cultural event.

After night halt at Silvassa, the president will leave for Delhi on Tuesday.