Country's first housing society set up due to Sardar Patel: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday the country's first housing society was set up in 1927 under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating various projects here, Modi said that when Sardar Patel won the municipal election in Ahmedabad by a solitary vote and became its chairman, he for the first time introduced the concept of urban development.

"And, the first experiment was that of creating a housing society to give people from the middle income group houses," Modi said.

The prime minister said one Pritam Rai Desai was asked to initiate work on this project, and under Sardar Patel's leadership and guidance, the first housing society was formed in the country in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.

"Sardar saheb inaugurated it on January 28, 1927 and said it was a new model of development. Since he wanted people to remember this, the place was named Pritam Nagar (after Pritam Rai Desai)," Modi told the gathering.

Modi further said that when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, he had advocated the use of camel milk because of its nutritional benefits, but he was mocked for it.

"I said camel milk is very nutritious. Being the chief minister, I don't know what crime I committed, but I was mocked at. Cartoons and derogatory comments were made against me. Today, Amul's chocolates have a huge market and the rate of camel milk is double than that of cow milk," Modi said.

He further said he is convinced that if a mother and her child remain healthy, the country can never be unhealthy.