Kevadia (Gujarat) [India], Sept 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday released basket full of fluttering butterflies at the Butterfly Garden here on his 69th birthday.

Earlier in the day, he reached Kevadia and performed a pooja at the Sardar Sarovar Dam site.

The Prime Minister also paid a visit to Khalvani Eco-Tourism site and strolled across the rope bridge which was constructed across the river there for adventure activity.

Modi also took a safari ride at Jungle Safari Tourist Park and watched animals there.

"In our culture, it is believed that development can be done while protecting the environment and it is evident here. Nature is dear to us, it is our jewel," he said while addressing people later in the day.

"On one side is the Sardar Sarovar dam, there are electricity-generating equipment, on the other side there are very beautiful arrangements related to eco-tourism like Ekta Nursery, Butter-fly Garden. Amidst all this, a grand statue of Sardar Patel is seen blessing us," he added.

He said that Statue of Unity brought Kevadia and state of Gujarat on the tourism map of the world and highlighted that more than 23 lakh people have come to see the tallest statue of the world since it was unveiled last year.

"The discussion of the Statue of Unity is natural when it comes to tourism. Due to this, Kevadia and Gujarat have figured prominently on the tourism map of the whole world. It has been released only for 11 months, but so far more than 23 lakh tourists have come here from the country and the world," Modi said"An average of 8,500 tourists are coming every day to the Statue of Unity. I am told that on the day of Janmashtami last month, more than 34 thousand tourists reached here. Only 10,000 visit Statue of Liberty in America every day. It was constructed 133 years ago and Statue of Unity was opened eight months ago," he added.

The Prime Minister said that when all projects related to Statue of Unity will be completed it will pave way new employment opportunities for local people.

"Statue of Unity is also becoming a new medium of employment for the tribal sisters, brothers and youth of this place. In the coming time, when the roads here, other projects related to tourism here will be completed, it will generate new employment opportunities," he said.

After his speech, the Prime Minister went to his mother and sought her blessings in Gandhinagar. (ANI)