The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid homage to those who were martyred during the 2001 Parliament attack.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
“Paid homage to those who were martyred during the 2001 Parliament attack. We will never forget their service, bravery and sacrifice.”
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Mopa International Airport, Goa. The foundation stone of the airport was laid by the Prime Minister in November 2016. Developed at a cost of around Rs 2,870 crores, the airport has been built on the theme of sustainable infrastructure and comprises a solar power plant, green buildings, LED lights on the runway, rainwater harvesting, state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant with recycling facilities, among other such facilities. Initially, phase I of the Airport will cater to around 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA), which can be expanded to a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated all the citizens of Goa and the country for the inauguration of the greenfield airport in Mopa. Recalling his visits to Goa in the last eight years, the Prime Minister asserted that the love and affection shown by the people of Goa towards him will be repaid with interest in the form of development. “This advanced airport terminal is an attempt to return the favour” he added. He expressed happiness that the Airport is named after the late Manohar Parrikar.
Remarking on the approach towards infrastructural development by the governments in the past, the Prime Minister said that the vote bank had been the first priority instead of the needs and requirements of the citizens. The Prime Minister underlined that thousands of crores were spent on projects that were not even required. As a result, the places that were in dire need of infrastructural development remained neglected. “Goa International Airport is a clear example of this”, he added. Recalling Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government that had initially planned this airport, the Prime Minister lamented the lack of effort after his government was out of power and the project remained abandoned for many years. In 2014, the Prime Minister said that once the Double Engine Government came to the scene, work on the airport gained new momentum and he laid the foundation stone 6 years ago despite legal hurdles and the pandemic, this airport is ready to function today. The airport has the facility to handle about 40 lakh passengers per year which can be scaled up to 3.5 crores in future. Apart from tourism benefits, the presence of two airports has created new opportunities for Goa as a cargo hub.
The Prime Minister pointed out that Manohar International Airport is proof of the changed working style and approach to governance. He said before 2014, air travel was an elite affair for well-to-do people. This neglect of the common citizen’s desire for air travel led to low investment in airports and other infrastructure related to air travel and India lagged behind in air travel despite huge potential. The Prime Minister said that in the first 70 years of independence, the number of airports in the country was just 70 and air travel was restricted to big cities. The Government worked on 2 levels, the Prime Minister continued, First, the Airport network was expanded throughout the country. Second, common citizens got the opportunity for air travel via the UDAN scheme. In the last 8 years, 72 airports have been constructed compared to 70 in the 70 years before that. This means that the number of airports has doubled in the country. Furthermore, the number of air passengers rose to more than 14 crores in 2020 (just before the pandemic) compared to just 6 crore passengers in the year 2000. More than 1 crore passengers flew under the UDAN scheme. “Because of these measures, India has become the world’s third-largest aviation market”, he said.
Referring to the achievements of the Udaan Yojna, the Prime Minister said that it has the potential to become a case study for the academic world. The Prime Minister also remarked on the changing trend of the middle class checking for air tickets instead of railways even for shorter distances. He remarked that as the network of air connectivity expands in the country, travel by air is fast becoming the go-to means of transportation.
The Prime Minister said, “It is true that tourism helps in boosting the soft power of a nation, while as a nation becomes stronger, the world wants to know more about that nation and is attracted towards it.” The Prime Minister further added that if one glances at India’s prosperous history, it was the centre of attraction for the entire world where scholars, travellers, businessmen, industrialists and students would come to India to know more about the land. The Prime Minister also lamented the dark time of slavery faced by India which transformed the image and perspective toward the country even though the culture and traditions remained the same. “India of the 21st Century is New India which is making a mark on the global platform, and as a result, the perspective of the world is changing rapidly”, the Prime Minister remarked. He underlined that the world of today wants to know India and understand its ways. He further added that a lot of foreigners are narrating India’s story on digital platforms.
The Prime Minister listed the steps taken to ensure ease of travel and improve the country’s tourism profile in the last 8 years. He talked about easing the visa process, improved visa-on-arrival facilities, modern infrastructure and last-mile connectivity, and accompanying digital, mobile and railway connectivity. These measures have borne results. In 2015 the number of domestic tourists in India was 14 crore. Last year this number increased to about 70 crores, he said.
The Prime Minister reiterated that tourism has the biggest potential for employment and self-employment and elaborated upon the steps to improve the tourism infrastructure in Goa. “More than 10 thousand crores have been invested in highway projects in the state since 2014. The traffic problem in Goa is also being addressed. Electrification of the Konkan Railway is also benefiting the state”, he said.
The Prime Minister said, apart from increasing connectivity, the government’s focus is also on promoting heritage tourism by improving the upkeep of the monuments, connectivity and related facilities. Shri Modi mentioned the development of the Agoda Jail Complex museum as an example of this effort. He added that modern technology is being used to make the monuments more attractive and the journey to the places of pilgrimage and the monuments is being facilitated via special trains, he said.
The Prime Minister also praised the efforts of the Goa Government for laying equal importance on social infrastructure as much as physical infrastructure. The Prime Minister praised the success of Swyampurna Goa Abhiyan which was the key to promoting ease of living and making sure that no citizen remains deprived of the government schemes. “Today, Goa has become the perfect example of a 100% saturation model”, the Prime Minister concluded as he encouraged everyone to carry forward the development work that is taking place in the state.
Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant, Governor of Goa, Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotraditya Scindia, and Union Minister of Port, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik were those present on occasion.
Background
It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to provide world-class infrastructure and transport facilities across the country. In yet another step towards this, Prime Minister inaugurated the Mopa International Airport, Goa. The foundation stone of the airport was laid by the Prime Minister in November 2016.
Developed at a cost of around Rs 2,870 crores, the airport has been built on the theme of sustainable infrastructure and comprises a solar power plant, green buildings, LED lights on the runway, rainwater harvesting, state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant with recycling facilities, among other such facilities. It has adopted some of the best-in-class technologies like 3-D Monolithic Precast buildings, StabilRoad, Robomatic Hollow precast walls, and 5G compatible IT infrastructure. Some of the features of the airport include a runway capable of handling the world’s largest aircrafts, 14 parking bays along with a night parking facility for aircrafts, self-baggage drop facilities, state of the art and independent air navigation infrastructure, among others.
Initially, phase I of the Airport will cater to around 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA), which can be expanded to a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA. The airport will boost the socioeconomic development of the State and serve the needs of the tourism industry. It has the potential of serving as a key logistics hub, directly connecting many domestic and international destinations. It is also planned for the airport to have multi-modal connectivity.
While being a world-class airport, the airport will also provide visitors with a feel and experience of Goa. The airport has extensively used Azulejos tiles, which are native to Goa. The food court also recreates the charm of a typical Goan café. It will also have a designated area for a curated flea market where local artisans and craftsmen will be encouraged to display and market their wares.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the valedictory function of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress. He also inaugurated three National Ayush Institutes. The three institutes – All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa, National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Ghaziabad and National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Delhi – will further strengthen research and international collaborations and will also facilitate affordable Ayush services for people. Developed at a total cost of about Rs 970 crores, these institutes will increase the intake of students by around 400 along with the addition of about 500 hospital beds.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister welcomed all the delegates of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress from around the globe to the beautiful land of Goa and congratulated everyone for the successes of the World Ayurveda Congress. The Prime Minister highlighted that the World Ayurveda Congress is being organised when the journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal is underway. The Prime Minister said that one of the key resolutions of the Amrit Kaal is to ensure global welfare through India’s scientific, knowledge and cultural experience and Ayurveda is a strong and effective medium for that. Referring to India’s G-20 Presidency, the Prime Minister informed about the theme of G-20 ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.
The Prime Minister expressed happiness that more than 30 countries of the world have given recognition to Ayurveda as a traditional system of medicine. He called for more sustained work to ensure wider recognition of Ayurveda. He said that the three National institutes inaugurated today will provide new momentum to the Ayush healthcare system.
Dwelling upon the philosophical underpinnings of Ayurveda the Prime Minister said “Ayurveda goes beyond treatment and promotes wellness”, as he pointed out that the world is shifting towards this ancient way of life after going through various changes in trends. The Prime Minister expressed delight that a lot of work with regard to Ayurveda is already underway in India. Recalling the time when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that he had promoted institutions related to Ayurveda and worked towards the advancement of Gujarat Ayurvedic University. As a result, the Prime Minister said, “The World Health Organisation established the first and only Global Centre for Traditional Medicines in Jamnagar. Referring to the present government, the Prime Minister highlighted that the separate Ministry of Ayush was established which led to increased enthusiasm and trust towards Ayurveda. He further added that along the lines of AIIMS, All India Institute of Ayurveda are also being established. Recalling the Global Ayush Innovation and Investment Summit that took place earlier this year, the Prime Minister highlighted that WHO was full of praise for India’s efforts in the field of traditional medicine. He also informed that the world is celebrating International Yoga Day as the global festival of health and wellness. “There was a time when Yoga was looked down upon but today, it has become a source of hope and expectations for the whole of humanity”, Shri Modi remarked.
Lamenting the delayed global accord, ease and acceptance of Ayurveda in the world of today, the Prime Minister pointed out that advanced science only considers proof as the holy grail. Stressing the need to continuously work toward the documentation of ‘Data Based Evidence’, the Prime Minister said that we had Ayurveda’s results as well as effects in our favour, but we were lagging behind in terms of evidence. He emphasised that our medical data, research, and journals have to be brought together to verify every claim on modern scientific parameters. Throwing light on the work done in this regard, the Prime Minister mentioned the creation of an Ayush Research Portal for Evidence-Based Research data. The Prime Minister informed that data from about 40 thousand research studies are available so far, and during the Corona period, we had about 150 specific research studies related to AYUSH. “We are now moving forward in the direction of forming a ‘National Ayush Research Consortium”, he added.
The Prime Minister elaborated that Ayurveda is a way of life too. Drawing an analogy to a machine or a computer that malfunctions due to a lack of knowledge by the end user, the Prime Minister said that Ayurveda teaches us that body and mind should be healthy together and in harmony with each other. Highlighting the speciality of Ayurveda, the Prime Minister said that ‘proper sleep’ is a huge topic of discussion for medical science today, but Ayurveda experts of India had written on this in detail centuries ago. Throwing light on the importance of Ayurveda in the economy also, the Prime Minister talked about new opportunities in the field of Ayurveda such as farming of herbs, manufacturing and supply of Ayush medicines, and digital services. He said that there is huge scope for Ayush startups in these areas. Talking about the opportunities for all in the field of Ayurveda, the Prime Minister informed that about 40,000 MSMEs are active in the Ayush sector. Ayush Industry which was about 20 thousand crore rupees 8 years ago has reached about 1.5 lakh crore rupees today. “This means that there has been 7 times growth in 7-8 years”, he said. He also elaborated on the global growth of the sector and said the current global market for herbal medicine and spices is about 120 billion dollars or rupees l0 lakh crore. “This sector of traditional medicine is expanding continuously and we have to take full advantage of its every possibility. For the rural economy, a whole new sector of agriculture is opening up for our farmers, in which they will also get very good prices. Thousands and lakhs of new jobs will be created for the youth in this,” he added.
Mentioning the opportunities in Ayurveda and Yoga tourism, especially for a state like Goa, the Prime Minister said that the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa can prove to be an important beginning in that direction.
The Prime Minister explained the futuristic vision of One Earth One Health that India has put forward to the world. “’One Earth, One Health’ means a universal vision of health. Whether it is marine animals, wild animals, human beings or plants, their health is interconnected. Instead of seeing them in isolation, we have to see them in totality. This holistic vision of Ayurveda has been a part of India’s tradition and lifestyle”, he said. He called upon the Ayurveda Congress to discuss how a roadmap of taking forward Ayush and Ayurveda in totality can be created.
Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant, Governor of Goa, Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai, Union Minister of Ayush, Shri Sarbanada Sonowal, Union Minister of State for Ayush, Dr Munjapara Mahendrabhai, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik and President of Vijnana Bharat, Dr Shekhar Mande were those present on occasion.
Background
The 9th edition of the World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo is witnessing the active participation of more than 400 overseas delegates representing over 50 countries, international students and various other stakeholders of Ayurveda. The theme of the 9th edition of WAC is “Ayurveda for One Health”.
The three inaugurated institutes – All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa, National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Ghaziabad and National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Delhi – will further strengthen research and international collaborations and will also facilitate affordable Ayush services for people. Developed at a total cost of about Rs 970 crores, these institutes will increase the intake of students by around 400 along with the addition of about 500 hospital beds.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase – I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg in Nagpur today, which covers a distance of 520 kilometres and connects Nagpur and Shirdi.
The Prime Minister tweeted:
“We are committed to delivering on top quality infrastructure and the Mahamarg between Nagpur and Shirdi is an example of this effort. Inaugurated this modern road project and also drove on the Mahamarg. I am sure it will contribute to further economic progress of Maharashtra.”
We are committed to delivering on top quality infrastructure and the Mahamarg between Nagpur and Shirdi is an example of this effort. Inaugurated this modern road project and also drove on the Mahamarg. I am sure it will contribute to further economic progress of Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/Conx6yBkmR
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
देशात उच्च दर्जाच्या पायाभूत सुविधा देण्यासाठी आम्ही कटिबद्ध आहोत,आणि नागपूर-शिर्डी महामार्ग याच प्रयत्नांचा भाग आहे. या अत्याधुनिक रस्ते प्रकल्पाचे उदघाटन केले आणि महामार्गावरुन प्रवासही केला. हा महामार्ग देशाच्या आर्थिक प्रगतीत मोठे योगदान देईल, अशी मला खात्री आहे. pic.twitter.com/adfPLPj3Ns
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
The Prime Minister was felicitated upon his arrival and was accompanied by Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari.
Background
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase – I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, covering a distance of 520 Kms and connecting Nagpur and Shirdi.
Samruddhi Mahamarg or Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Project is a major step towards realising the Prime Minister’s vision of improved connectivity and infrastructure across the country. The 701 Km expressway – being built at a cost of about Rs 55,000 crore – is one of India’s longest expressways, passing through Maharashtra’s 10 districts and prominent urban regions of Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik. The expressway will also help improve the connectivity of adjoining 14 other districts, thus helping in the development of about 24 districts of the state including the regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra.
Espousing the Prime Minister’s vision of integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects under PM Gati Shakti, the Samruddhi Mahamarg will connect to the Delhi Mumbai Expressway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and tourist locations like Ajanta Ellora Caves, Shirdi, Verul, Lonar, etc. Samruddhi Mahamarg will be a game-changer in providing a major boost to the economic development of Maharashtra.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various projects worth more than 75,000 crores in Maharashtra today. It includes national rail projects worth more than 1500 crores, National Institute of One Health (NIO), Nagpur and Nag river pollution abatement project, Nagpur. During the programme, the Prime Minister also dedicated ‘Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Chandrapur’ to the nation and inaugurated ‘Centre for Research, Management and Control of Hemoglobinopathies, Chandrapur’.
Earlier today, the Prime Minister flagged off Vande Bharat Express from Nagpur to Bilaspur, dedicated ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation, and laid the foundation stone of ‘Nagpur Metro phase- II’. The Prime Minister also inaugurated Phase – I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg which covers a distance of 520 kilometres and connects Nagpur and Shirdi.
The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation, AIIMS Nagpur which is being developed at a cost of more than Rs 1575 crore, is a hospital with state-of-the-art facilities, with OPD, IPD, diagnostic services, Operation theatres and 38 departments covering all major speciality and super speciality subjects of Medical Science. The hospital provides modern healthcare facilities to the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and is a boon to the surrounding tribal areas of Gadchiroli, Gondia and Melghat.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister greeted on the auspicious occasion of Sankashti Chaturthi and hailed Lord Ganpati. The Prime Minister highlighted that this very special day when a bouquet of development works is being launched from Nagpur, Maharashtra will transform the lives of people. “Today a constellation of eleven new stars is rising for the development of Maharashtra which will help in achieving new heights and provide a new direction”, he said. Listing out all the 11 projects the Prime Minister said, “Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samridhi Mahamarg is now ready from Nagpur to Shirdi, AIIMS will benefit the people of Vidarbha, the establishment of National Institute of One Health, ICMR’s research Centre built in Chandrapur, the establishment of CIPT Chandrapur, Various Projects in Nagpur to reduce the pollution of Nag river, the inauguration of Metro Phase I and laying the foundation stone of Phase II, Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur to Bilaspur, the project of redevelopment of ‘Nagpur’ and ‘Ajni’ Railway Station, the inauguration of maintenance depot of 42 thousand horsepower rail engine at Ajni and inauguration of Kohli-Narkhed route of Nagpur-Itarsi line.” The Prime Minister congratulated the people of Maharashtra for these completed and upcoming projects.
The Prime Minister highlighted that today’s projects are proof of the pace of work by the double-engine government of Maharashtra. He underlined that Samruddhi Mahamarg is not just reducing the distance between Nagpur and Mumbai but is also linking 24 districts of Maharashtra with modern connectivity. Apart from a boost in employment opportunities, the Prime Minister said that these connectivity projects will benefit the farmers, pilgrims and industries that are situated in the region.
Throwing light on the intrinsic planning of these projects, the Prime Minister said that projects that have been inaugurated today paint a picture of the holistic vision of infrastructural development. “Be it AIIMS Nagpur or Samriddhi Mahamarg, be it Vande Bharat Express or the Nagpur Metro, all these projects may differ in their attributes but when put together in the form of a bouquet, the essence of a complete development will reach every citizen”, he said. Highlighting the efforts of the double-engine government, the Prime Minister pointed out that whether it is about healthcare for the common man or wealth creation, be it empowering the farmer or water conservation, it is a first where the government has given a human form to the infrastructure where a human touch is impacting everyone’s life.
Giving examples of the holistic vision of infrastructural development, the Prime Minister said, “The Ayushman Bharat scheme which provides free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to every poor is an example of our social infra, the development of our places of faith from Kashi, Kedarnath, Ujjain to Pandharpur is an example of our cultural infra, the Jan Dhan Yojana, that connects more than 45 crore poor people to the banking system is an example of our financial infrastructure.” He further added that the campaign to open modern hospitals and medical colleges like Nagpur AIIMS is an example of the medical infrastructure. “Infrastructure cannot just cover lifeless roads and flyovers, its expansion is much bigger”, he added.
The Prime Minister gave the example of the Gosekhurd Dam whose foundation was laid thirty to thirty-five years ago with an estimated cost of around Rs 400 crore but was never completed. Shri Modi pointed out that the estimated cost of the dam has now increased to Rs 18 thousand crores. He said, “After the formation of the double-engine government in 2017, the work on this dam has been accelerated, and every problem has been resolved.” The Prime Minister was satisfied that this year this dam has been completely filled.
The Prime Minister reiterated, “In the Azaadi ka Amrit Kaal, the country is moving forward with the great resolve of a developed India and it can be achieved with the collective strength of the nation. The mantra for building a developed India is the development of the state for the nation’s development.” Learning from experience, the Prime Minister underlined that when development is limited, opportunities also get limited. Furthering his point, the Prime Minister explained that when education was limited to a select few, the talent of the nation could not come to the fore, when few people had access to banks, trade business also remained limited, and when better connectivity was limited to only a few cities, growth was also limited to the same extent. The Prime Minister said that as a result, neither the large population of the country was availing the full benefits of the development nor the real strength of India was coming to the fore. The Prime Minister emphasised that in the last 8 years, both this thinking and approach have changed with the principles of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’. Shri Modi remarked, “Those who were deprived earlier have now become priority for the government.” Giving examples of farmer-led development, Shri Modi pointed out that the farmers of Vidarbha have also got the big benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and it is the government which has linked the facility of Kisan Credit Card by giving priority to the cattle herders.
Continuing with the theme of prioritisation of the deprived, the Prime Minister listed steps like easy loans for the vendors and more than 100 Aspirational districts. The Prime Minister informed that more than 100 districts in the country including districts of Marathwada and Vidarbha lagged behind on many parameters of development. “For the last 8 years, we have been working towards transforming these deprived areas into new centres of energy for rapid development”, he said.
The Prime Minister also warned everyone about the emergence of the politics of short-cut in India. He warned that political parties are looting the hard-earned taxpayers’ money for political interests and adopting shortcuts with the aim of forming the government by making false promises. The Prime Minister reiterated that at a time when the country is working towards becoming a developed nation in the next 25 years, some political parties want to destroy the economy of India for their own self-interest. The Prime Minister lamented the lost opportunities of not being able to take advantage of the first industrial revolution and lagging behind during the second-third industrial revolution. He reiterated that when it is time for the fourth industrial revolution, India cannot miss it. “No country can run with short-cuts, a permanent solution with a long-term vision is very important for the progress of the country”, Shri Modi remarked.
The Prime Minister gave examples of countries like South Korea and Singapore that were once considered poor but managed to change their fate with a boom in infrastructure, and have now become huge centres of economy. He reiterated that the need of the hour is that every penny of the government exchequer is spent on building a bright future for the young generations.
The Prime Minister also urged the youngsters and taxpayers of the country to expose selfish political parties that go by the policy of ‘earning less, spending more’. The Prime Minister highlighted the many countries of the world where entire economies collapsed due to such bad policymaking. On the other hand, the Prime Minister expressed delight at the people’s support towards the efforts of sustainable development and sustainable solutions in the country. “The election results in Gujarat are the result of the economic policy of permanent development and permanent solution”, the Prime Minister added.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari were those present on occasion among others
Background
Nagpur Metro
In yet another step that will revolutionise urban mobility, the Prime Minister dedicated ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation. He also flagged off two metro trains – from Khapri to Automotive Square (Orange Line) and from Prajapati Nagar to Lokmanya Nagar (Aqua line) – at Khapri Metro Station. Phase I of the Nagpur Metro is developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro Phase- II, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.
Rail projects
At Nagpur Railway station, the Prime Minister flagged off Vande Bharat Express that will run between Nagpur and Bilaspur.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Nagpur Railway Station and Ajni Railway Station, to be redeveloped at a cost of about Rs 590 crore and Rs 360 crore respectively. The Prime Minister dedicated the Government Maintenance Depot, Ajni (Nagpur) and Kohli-Narkher Section of Nagpur- Itarsi Third line project to the Nation. These projects have been developed at a cost of about Rs 110 crore and about Rs 450 crore respectively.
Samruddhi Mahamarg
The Prime Minister inaugurated Phase – I of Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, covering a distance of 520 kilometres and connecting Nagpur and Shirdi.
Samruddhi Mahamarg or Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway project is a major step towards realising the Prime Minister’s vision of improved connectivity and infrastructure across the country. The 701 Km expressway – being built at a cost of about Rs 55,000 crore – is one of India’s longest expressways, passing through Maharashtra’s 10 districts and prominent urban regions of Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik. The expressway will also help improve the connectivity of adjoining 14 other districts, thus helping in the development of about 24 districts of the state including the regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra.
Espousing the Prime Minister’s vision of integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects under PM Gati Shakti, the Samruddhi Mahamarg will connect to the Delhi Mumbai Expressway, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and tourist locations like Ajanta Ellora Caves, Shirdi, Verul, Lonar, etc. Samruddhi Mahamarg will be a game-changer in providing a major boost to the economic development of Maharashtra.
AIIMS Nagpur
The Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthening health infrastructure across the country will be strengthened through the dedication of AIIMS Nagpur to the nation. The Hospital, whose foundational stone was also laid by the Prime Minister in July 2017, has been established under the Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
AIIMS Nagpur, being developed at a cost of more than Rs 1575 crore, is a hospital with state-of-the-art facilities, with OPD, IPD, diagnostic services, Operation theatres and 38 departments covering all major speciality and super speciality subjects of Medical Science. The hospital provides modern healthcare facilities to the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and is a boon to the surrounding tribal areas of Gadchiroli, Gondia and Melghat.
National Institute of One Health, Nagpur
The laying of the foundation stone for the National Institute of One Health (NIO), Nagpur by the Prime Minister is a step towards building capacity and infrastructure in the country under the ‘One Health’ approach.
‘One Health’ approach recognises that the health of human beings is connected to the health of animals and the environment. This approach appreciates that most of the contagious diseases affecting humans are zoonotic (animal to human) in nature. The institute – to be established at a cost of more than Rs 110 crore – will collaborate and coordinate with all stakeholders and act as a catalyst to improve the research and capacity building in ‘One Health’ approach across the country.
Other projects
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the project for pollution abatement of river Nag at Nagpur. The project – under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) – will be operationalised at a cost of more than Rs 1925 crore.
The prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease in the Vidarbha region, especially in the tribal population is comparatively high. The disease along with other haemoglobinopathies like thalassemia and HbE causes a significant disease burden in the country. To address this issue, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the ‘Centre for Research, Management and Control of Haemoglobinopathies, Chandrapur’, in February 2019. The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, a centre which is envisaged to become a Centre of Excellence for innovative research, technology development, and human resource development, in the field of haemoglobinopathies, in the country.
The Prime Minister also dedicated the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Chandrapur to the Nation. The institute aims to develop skilled human resources to meet the requirements of the polymer & allied industries.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation, and laid the foundation stone of ‘Nagpur Metro phase- II’ at Khapri Metro Station today. The Prime Minister also flagged off two inaugural metro trains from Khapri to Automotive Square and Prajapati Nagar to Lokmanya Nagar. Phase I of the Nagpur Metro is developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore while Phase- II will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.
The Prime Minister arrived at the Khapri Metro Station after taking a ride in the Nagpur Metro from Freedom Park Metro Station. Before boarding the metro at Freedom Park Metro Station, the Prime Minister took a walkthrough of the Nagpur Metro Rail Project and witnessed the ‘Sapno Se Behtar’ Exhibition that was showcased. The Prime Minister bought himself an e-ticket at the AFC Gate and travelled with students, citizens and officials. He also interacted with them on the journey.
The Prime Minister tweeted:
“I would like to congratulate the people of Nagpur on the inauguration of the Nagpur Metro’s Phase 1. Flagged off two metro trains and also took a ride on the metro. The metro is comfortable and convenient.”
I would like to congratulate the people of Nagpur on the inauguration of the Nagpur Metro’s Phase 1. Flagged off two metro trains and also took a ride on the metro. The metro is comfortable and convenient. pic.twitter.com/mK3lFv1pFt
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
नागपूर मेट्रोच्या पहिल्या टप्प्याच्या उद्घाटनाबद्दल मी नागपूरकरांचे अभिनंदन करतो. आज दोन मेट्रो गाड्यांना हिरवा झेंडा दाखवला आणि मेट्रोतून प्रवासही केला. मेट्रो प्रवास अत्यंत आरामदायी आणि सोयीस्कर आहे. pic.twitter.com/FWlo97GOvC
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
Interesting interactions on board the Nagpur Metro. pic.twitter.com/SIBtDMwQxj
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
The Prime Minister’s Office tweeted:
On board the Nagpur Metro, PM @narendramodi interacted with students, those from the start up sector and citizens from other walks of life. pic.twitter.com/abvugNUxoC
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 11, 2022
The Prime Minister was joined by Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari when he arrived via metro at Khapri Metro Station.
Background
In yet another step that will revolutionise urban mobility, the Prime Minister dedicated ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation and flagged off two metro trains – from Khapri to Automotive Square (Orange Line) and from Prajapati Nagar to Lokmanya Nagar (Aqua line) – at Khapri Metro Station. Phase I of the Nagpur Metro is developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro Phase- II, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off Vande Bharat Express connecting Nagpur and Bilaspur from platform number 1 of the Nagpur Railway Station today.
The Prime Minister inspected the train coaches of the Vande Bharat Express and took stock of the onboard facilities. Shri Modi inspected the control centre of the locomotive engine of Vande Bharat Express and also took stock of the development plans of the Nagpur and Ajni Railway Stations. The travel time from Nagpur to Bilaspur will be reduced to 5 hours 30 mins from 7-8 hours.
The Prime Minister tweeted:
“Flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur and Bilaspur. Connectivity will be significantly enhanced by this train.”
Flagged off the Vande Bharat Express between Nagpur and Bilaspur. Connectivity will be significantly enhanced by this train. pic.twitter.com/iqPZqXE4Mi
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
नागपूर-बिलासपूर वंदे भारत एक्स्प्रेसला हिरवा झेंडा दाखवला. या ट्रेनमुळे दळणवळणात लक्षणीय वाढ होईल. pic.twitter.com/KLWGbnQwPr
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2022
Background
The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel. The travel time from Nagpur to Bilaspur will be 5 hours and 30 mins. This will be the sixth Vande Bharat train to be introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter duration. Vande Bharat 2.0 is equipped with more advancements and improved features such as reaching a speed of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 52 seconds, and a maximum speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour. The improved Vande Bharat Express will weigh 392 tons when compared to the previous version of 430 tons. It will also have a Wi-Fi content on-demand facility. Every coach has 32” screens providing passenger information and infotainment compared to 24” in the previous version. Vande Bharat Express will also be environmentally friendly as the ACs will be 15 per cent more energy efficient. With dust-free clean air cooling of the traction motor, travel will become more comfortable. A side recliner seat facility provided only to Executive Class passengers earlier will now be made available for all classes. Executive Coaches have the added feature of 180-degree rotating seats.
In the new design of Vande Bharat Express, a photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system is installed in the Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) for air purification. As recommended by Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh, this system is designed and installed on both ends of RMPU to filter and clean the air free from germs, bacteria, viruses etc. coming through fresh air and return air.
The Vande Bharat Express 2.0 offers various superior and aircraft-like travelling experiences. It is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features including an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has recalled the heroic courage of all those who took part in the Assam Movement on Swahid Diwas.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
“The Assam Movement has a special place in our history. Today, on Swahid Diwas, I recall the heroic courage of all those who took part in this movement. We will never forget their contribution to preserve Assam’s unique culture.”
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of the historic Assam Movement in a solemn programme in Goa today marking Swahid Diwas, the martyrdom day of Khargeswar Talukdar in 1979, the first martyr of the Assam Movement. The Union Minister is on a three day visit to the coastal state. The programme held at Francisco Luis Gomes Garden in Panjim was organised by the Assam Society of Goa and was attended by members of the Assamese community and a host of dignitaries and locals.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister reminisced the valour of the martyrs of the six year long Assam Movement from 1979-1985. “Today, on the occasion of Swahid Diwas, I salute all those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect Assam. The people of Assam took part in the six year-long movement to protect the state from illegal immigrants and 860 martyrs gave their ultimate sacrifice to protect the unity and integrity of India. These great martyrs have written an unforgettable history of unparalleled patriotism and courage The Assam Movement is a shining example of the united efforts of the indigenous people of Assam to protect the nation and its impact was far-reaching. The immortal sacrifice of the martyrs will continue to inspire the greater Assamese community and the nation forever,” the Minister stated.
Shri Sonowal added, “We have to continue to work with honesty, dedication and determination to keep alive the noble ideals of the brave martyrs. We have to fulfill our national responsibility to keep our language, culture, heritage and tradition alive. If the history of student movements of the world is analysed, the Assam movement was a watershed moment. I urge the people of Assam as well as the people from different parts of the country to take the lead in building a strong India inspired by the nationalistic spirit of this movement and render dedicated service to our motherland.”
Union Minister of Railways,Communications and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a new train service Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express between Kashi and Tamil Nadu to commemorate the event. He interacted with the delegates from Tamil Nadu who were invited to witness the Kashi Tamil Sangamam. He also inspected the redevelopment plan of Varanasi Junction Railway Station.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw interacted with the delegates of the eighth batch. The delegates shared their experiences in the tour and how they were well taken care of. He lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Railways & IRCTC team who helped in making this event successful. He said that such people-to-people exchange will bring the traditions, knowledge and culture closer together, while building an understanding of shared heritage and strengthen ties between the people of these two regions.
Shri Vaishnaw announced a new train service Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express between Kashi and Tamil Nadu to commemorate the event. He said the service will commence soon.
The Union Minister of Railways also reviewed the redevelopment plans of Varanasi Junction Railway Station. He suggested planning the redevelopment of the station keeping future traffic increases in mind.
While inspecting the Varanasi Junction Railway Station, the Minister said redevelopment of this station into a world class railway station is in line with the PM’s vision of making the railway station to look like an airport terminal. He added that about Rs 7000 crore would be spent in revamping the station to make it one of the best in the world.
Shri Vaishnaw said that the redevelopment would be done planning for 50 years ahead. He said that in order to ease the heavy footfall of passengers in the stations in Varansi city, Integrated development of all the railway stations in the region would be made. He also said that sleeper Vande Bharat manufacturing would commence soon to provide modern amenities to the passengers.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a month-long programme organized by the Ministry of Education, as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Delegates from various walks of life are invited to witness this festival in Kashi. The Ministry of Railways and IRCTC ferried the invited delegates to Kashi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya and provided hospitality to them.
Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri Giriraj Singh has called for need-based skill mapping for employment and training to India’s youth, mainly in the rural areas. Noting that the quality of job training is important, the Minister urged to explore means to see how best the traditional trades can be integrated with electronic, education and training, IT & BPO and tourism and hospitality sectors to create more employment opportunities for the youth in the country.
The Minister was speaking after opening the new campus of the National Academy of Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute (RUDSET) – NAR at Kumbalagodu in Bengaluru on today.
Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, Sri Faggan Singh Kulaste,
Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Steel, Dr. C N Ashwath Narayan, Minister of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihoods of Karnataka State, Sri S T Somasekhara, Minister of Co-operation of Karnataka State and Dr. Dr. Veerendra Heggade, MP and President, NAR joined the inaugural event.
Shri Giriraj Singh said, the Rural Self Employment Training Institutes – RSETIs have a significant role in building India into a major human resources hub and added that RSETIs have trained 44 lakh youths of which nearly about 31 lakh candidates have settled so far. The Minister also informed that of the total candidates trained, about 29 lakhs are women candidates, over 66 %, which proves that RSETIs are giving lot of importance to “Women Empowerment”.
Dr Giriraj Singh cited a United Nation’s report that says in the coming 20 years, India’s work force would grow by 32 per cent while the overall global manpower would dip by four per cent. He said that RSETIs are following up with the Banks and Financial Institutions to make available required credit to the trained candidates for their successful settlement. 14.28 Lakh trained candidates were credit linked and the cumulative credit disbursed is to the tune of Rs.7200 crores. The average level of credit linkage of RSETI trained candidates is 51%, the Minister added.
A sum of Rs 25 crores has been approved for the project of new campus of NAR in Bengaluru. The State Government has allotted 3.5 acres of land. At present, there are 590 RSETIs functioning covering 572 districts spreading over 27 States and six Union Territories. These include 33 RSETIs in Karnataka having trained 3.49 lakh unemployed youths so far. RSETIs are sponsored by 24 banks including banks in public, private, co-operative sectors and Garmin Banks.
In 1982, Canara Bank, erstwhile Syndicate Bank and SDME Trust, Dharmasthala pioneered the unique concept of Rural Development and Self Employment Training Institute (RUDSET) to address the problem of unemployment amongst the rural youth in the country under the leadership of Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala. The Ministry of Rural Development has since replicated RUDSETI model across the country and advised banks to set up Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI) in each of their Lead District. The National Academy of RUDSETI-NAR, set up in 2008 entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Rural Development Ministry in 2011 for providing training to youths in self-employment ventures.
Earlier, Shri Giriraj Singh formally opened the Hostel Block while Shri Bommai inaugurated the Admin Block of the new campus. The Chief Minister also addressed the gathering.
Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Rural Development, Government of India, Shri Karma Zimpa Bhutia, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, senior officers of Government of Karnataka and top bank executives attended the event.
An experience sharing session of successful RSETI trainees and distribution of bank loans to entrepreneurs also formed part of the programme.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari today inaugurated 7 National Highway projects worth Rs 2,444 crore with total length of 204 km in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, senior minister of the state Mr. Gopal Bhargava, MP from Rewa Mr. Janardan Mishra, MP from Sidhi Mrs. Reeti Pathak, MP Ganesh Singh, other ministers of Madhya Pradesh and all MPs-MLAs, officers were present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering Shri Gadkari said with the construction of Churhat tunnel and bypass, the length between Rewa to Sidhi has decreased by 7 km. Now instead of two and a half hours, we will be able to cover this distance in 45 minutes. Also, it will take only 4 minutes to cross Mohania Ghat instead of 45 minutes, he said.
The Minister said movement of vehicles in the Rewa-Sidhi section will be facilitated by the construction of the tunnel and white tigers, other wild animals and the entire forest ecosystem will be protected. With the construction of Devtalab-Naigarhi road, the connectivity of Rewa district with Prayagraj and Varanasi will be easy.
Shri Gadkari said with the construction of the Satna-Bela four-lane road, connectivity will become easier for the coal, cement and diamond industries in the region. He said with the construction of this route, the journey from Satna to Rewa can be completed in 40 minutes. Access to famous tourist places like Jhansi, Orchha, Khajuraho, Panna, Satna will be easy. Farmers and other small entrepreneurs will have easy access to the market saving time and fuel, he added.
On this occasion Shri Gadkari announced the widening of the Rewa-Sidhi road, approving the demand to make it four-lane. He also announced 19 km long 2-lane bypass of Rewa to 4-lane. With the widening of this bypass, the connectivity of Prayagraj-Varanasi via Chorhat from Satna will be good , he said.
Shri Nitin Gadkari also inaugurated Madhya Pradesh’s first Rs 1600 crore 6-lane twin tunnel of 2.28 km length and 13 km 4-lane bypass in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh today.
This twin tunnel made of NATM method meets each other in 300 meters, due to which there will be no hindrance in traffic. Due to the curved turn in the Mohania valley, there was a possibility of accident with long time taken by vehicles, which has ended with the construction of this tunnel. State-of-the-art facilities like exhaust fan, Optical Fiber Linear IT Detection System, fire system, control room, cameras, phone facility at 200 meters have been provided in the tunnel.
This is India’s first Aqueduct, which has tunnel below and Bansagar Canal above and the earlier road above it is also built. A big and a small bridge, a ROB, an overpass, an underpass, 4 canal crossings, 11 box culverts and 20 culverts have been constructed in this tunnel.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired a video meeting of the Governors and Chief Ministers of States and Lt Governors of Union Territories today, to discuss aspects relating to India’s G20 Presidency.
Prime Minister in his remarks stated that India’s G20 Presidency belongs to the entire nation, and is a unique opportunity to showcase the country’s strengths.
Prime Minister emphasized the importance of teamwork, and sought the cooperation of the States / UTs in the organization of various G20 events. He pointed out that the G20 Presidency would help showcase parts of India beyond the conventional big metros, thus bringing out the uniqueness of each part of our country.
Highlighting the large number of visitors who would be coming to India during India’s G20 Presidency and the international media focus on various events, Prime Minister underlined the importance of States and UTs utilizing this opportunity to rebrand themselves as attractive business, investment and tourism destinations. He also reiterated the need to ensure people’s participation in the G20 events by a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach.
A number of Governors, Chief Ministers, and Lt. Governors shared their thoughts during the meeting, emphasising the preparations being done by the states to suitably host G20 meetings.
The meeting was also addressed by External Affairs Minister, and a presentation was made by India’s G20 Sherpa.
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