Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) Celebration

Sardar patel

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is being celebrated on 31st October all over the country since 2014 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - Indian freedom fighter and Independent India's first deputy prime minister and home minister.
This year 2020 marks the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
On October 31, 2018, PM Modi inaugurated the "Statue of Unity" - a 182 meter long monument dedicated to Sardar Patel inaugurated at Kevadia Gujarat.
Also it is added the 'Eight Wonders' of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in January 2020.
Further, several events organized on this day like 'Run For Unity'-a nationwide marathon, National Unity pledge, etc. in a spirit of achieving the goal – Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in making a united India from the 565 semi-autonomous princely states and British-era colonial provinces.
However, he integrated all princely states into the newly independent India, despite several hurdles.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel also called the "Loh Purush" "Iron Man of India".
Hence, this year Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas today observed the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas which commemorates the birth anniversary of Sardar Ballabhbhai Patel, by organising a Webinar.
The Prime Minister inaugurated Water Aerodrome at Kevadia and the Sea-plane Service connecting Statue of Unity in Kevadia with Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.
Also, inaugurated Water Aerodrome in Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and the Sea Plane Service from Sabarmati Riverfront to Kevadia.
These are part of a series of Water Aerodromes being planned to bring the last mile connectivity.
Seaplanes have the ability to land and take-off from water thus offering access to areas that do not have landing strips or runways.
Thus it can help in connecting the geographies/regions that have challenges owing to its topography and bring the remotest parts of India into the mainstream aviation network without the high cost of building airports and runways.
These smaller fixed wing airplanes can land on water bodies like lakes, backwaters and dams, gravel and grass, thus offering easy access to numerous tourist spots as well.

Source: PIB