Inaugurating the five-day centenery celebrations at the Maa Umiyaji temple at Sidsar village in Jamnagar district, he appreciated the organisers' efforts for an exhibition on agriculture simultaneously. He said the Rs 7-crore Umiya Sagar dam project on the Venu river at Sidsar was ready to benifit areas around Sidsar and Gingani.

He also released a book entitled, Krishi-Prasad.

Agriculture Minister Nalin Patel inagurated the exhibition in which progressive farmers, agro input dealers, scientists, extension workers and industrialists are taking part.

Around 1.75 lakh people, mainly Patels (Patidars) took prasad at the temple on the first day of the festival of their Kul Devi Maa Umiya, organised by the Umaiya Mataji Temple Trust and being supervised by 10,000 volunteers.

Sidsar, a small village with a population of 2,000, is hemmed along the Venu in Jamjodhpur taluka.