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

“On board the Nagpur Metro, PM interacted with students, those from the start-up sector and citizens from other walks of life.”

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.

PM flags off Vande Bharat Express from Nagpur

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

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, the Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari when he arrived at Nagpur Railway Station.

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.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra and Goa on 11th December, 2022.

At around 9:30 AM, Prime Minister will reach Nagpur Railway Station where he will flag off Vande Bharat Express.  At around 10 AM, Prime Minister will take a Metro ride from Freedom Park Metro station to Khapri Metro Station, where he will dedicate ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation.  During the programme, he will also lay the foundation stone of ‘Nagpur Metro phase- II’. At around 10:45 AM, Prime Minister will inaugurate Phase – I of Samruddhi Mahamarg connecting Nagpur and Shirdi and undertake a tour of the highway.  Prime Minister will dedicate AIIMS Nagpur to the nation at around 11:15 AM.

In a public function in Nagpur, at around 11:30 AM, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and dedicate to nation rail projects worth more than 1500 crores. He will also lay the foundation stone of National Institute of One Health (NIO), Nagpur and Nag river pollution abatement project, Nagpur. During the programme, Prime Minister will also dedicate ‘Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Chandrapur’ to the nation and inaugurate ‘Centre for Research, Management and Control of Hemoglobinopathies, Chandrapur’.

In Goa, at around 3:15 PM, Prime Minister will address the valedictory function of 9th World Ayurveda Congress. He will also inaugurate three National Ayush Institutes during the programme. At around 5:15 PM, Prime Minister will inaugurate Mopa International Airport, Goa.

PM at Nagpur

Samruddhi Mahamarg

Prime Minister will inaugurate the Phase – I of 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 Prime Minister’s vision of improved connectivity and infrastructure across the country. The 701 Km expressway – being built at an 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 development of about 24 districts of the state including the regions of Vidarbha, Marathwada and North Maharashtra.

Espousing 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 economic development of Maharashtra.

Nagpur Metro

In yet another step that will revolutionise urban mobility, Prime Minister will dedicate ‘Nagpur Metro Phase I’ to the nation. He will flag off two metro trains – from Khapri to Automotive Square (Orange Line) and from Prajapati Nagar to Lokmanya Nagar (Aqua line) – at Khapri Metro Station. The Phase I of the Nagpur Metro is developed at a cost of more than Rs 8650 crore. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro Phase- II, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 6700 crore.

AIIMS Nagpur

Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthen 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 superspeciality subjects of Medical Science. The hospital provides modern health care facilities to the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and is a boon to the surrounding tribal areas of Gadchiroli, Gondia and Melghat.

Rail projects

At Nagpur Railway station, Prime Minister will flag off Vande Bharat Express that will run between Nagpur and Bilaspur.

At the public function in Nagpur, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for 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. Prime Minister will dedicate 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.

National Institute of One Health, Nagpur

The laying of foundation stone for 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

Prime Minister will lay 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 cause significant disease burden in the country. To address this issue, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the ‘Centre for Research, Management and Control of Haemoglobinopathies, Chandrapur’, in February, 2019. Prime Minister will now dedicate to the nation the Centre, which is envisaged to become a Centre of Excellence for innovative research, technology development, human resource development, in the field of haemoglobinopathies, in the country.

Prime Minister will dedicate Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Chandrapur to the Nation. The institute aims to develop skilled human resources to meet requirements of the polymer & allied industries.

PM in Goa

Mopa International Airport, Goa

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 will inaugurate 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 has solar power plant, green buildings, LED lights on the runway, rain water 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, 5G compatible IT infrastructure. Some of the features of the airport include runway capable of handling world’s largest aircrafts, 14 parking bays along with 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 socio-economic 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 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.

9th World Ayurveda Congress and National Ayush Institutes

Prime Minister will also inaugurate three National Ayush Institutes  and address the valedictory function of 9th World Ayurveda Congress. 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, they will together increase the intake of students by around 400 along with addition of about 500 hospital beds.

The 9th edition of World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo is witnessing 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”.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today called for making various stakeholders aware of the new technologies relevant to them and said, this is possible through an optimum synergy between research and industry.

Speaking at a programme of Central Electronics Limited (CEL), a PSU under Department of Scientific Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, the Minister lamented that sometimes best of the R&D institutes tend to follow a downhill course because there are not enough takers for the technologies developed by them. He noted with satisfaction that for the first time in history, CEL is giving a dividend of Rs 7.26 crore to the Government of India.

Dr Jitendra Singh called upon the scientists and officers of CEL to strengthen and upgrade the four main Business Verticals of Railways Safety & Signalling Systems, Strategic Electronics for Defence Applications, SolarPhotovoltaics and Security and Surveillance Systems to the global standards. The Minister said, CEL has been commissioning solar plants since last 25 years and has the distinction in installation of India’s First Solar Power Plant in 1992. But, only in the recent past Solar has emerged as a key source of renewable energy option for the world, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh CEL remained underrated and unattended organization by the previous governments, but it was Prime Minister Modi, who gave a positive push to scientific endeavors since 2014 through higher budgetary allocations and by taking pathbreaking policy decisions.

Dr Jitendra Singh took pride that CEL is providing indigenously manufactured Phase Control Modules (PCMs) for Missile and Radar programmes in strategic Defence sector and till date 4.8 Lakh PCMs supplied for more than 80 defense radar systems deployed at different locations. The Minister said,CEL is the only production agency in the country for PCMs and the impoort cost is 4 times higher, thus saving forex worth Rs 2000 Crore.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, CEL is excelling in providing products and solutions in Defense, Railways, Clean Energy, ICT, Security and Surveillance sectors by anticipating opportunities in technology in a sustainable way. Also, their foray in Ceramic Radome and Drishti Transmisso meter system is praise worthy.CEL is significantly contributing in Railway sector in the area of Digital Axle counter which are essential for safety & signaling systems of Indian Railways, the Minister added.

Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that CEL had successfully commissioned 500 KWP Solar Power Plant in Palli Panchayat of Samba district in the record time of 18 days which was appreciated by Prime Minister Modi for making Palli village as country`s first Carbon Neutral Panchayat during his visit to Jammu on April 24 to mark the Panchayati Raj Day celebrations. Three hundred forty houses in Palli Panchayat are getting the gift of solar energy by this initiative.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, CEL is doing very well in all of its business verticals and is providing security, surveillance & Smart solutions to government sectors and also entering into manufacturing of smart boards, which is in line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Dr Jitendra Singh congratulated officers and employees of CEL for achieving maximum profit in the last financial year which enabled it to clear the wage arrears of Rs 19 Crore to CEL Employees and ex-employees. He said, as part of its CSR activities, CEL’s contribution to Government Hospitals of the area is also a noble thought for citizens and society.

Dr Jitendra Singh also flagged off two ambulances donated by CEL to MMG District Hospital, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat chaired the 10^th meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF) of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) including central ministries, departments and state governments on 8^th December 2022. The Union Minister reviewed the progress of various components under Namami Gange Programme as central ministries and States provided an update on the recent developments that have taken place and mapped out their future plans. The Union Minister directed the States and central ministries/departments to expedite the work being done for the holistic rejuvenation of River Ganga. The Minister urged the States and the central ministries to achieve targets in a time-bound manner.

Shri G. Asok Kumar gave a presentation on the thrust areas under Arth Ganga and the activities that have been undertaken in the past few months in the six verticals of Arth Ganga including:

a) Zero Budget Natural Farming that includes chemical-free farming generating “more Net income, per drop”, ‘Gobar Dhan’ for farmers,

b) Monetization and Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater that envisages reuse of treated water for irrigation and industrial purposes and revenue generation for ULBs,

c) Livelihood Generation Opportunities such as ‘Ghat Mein Haat’, promotion of local products, Ayurveda, medicinal plants, capacity building of volunteers like Ganga Praharis, Ganga Doots,

d) Public Participation to ensure increased synergies between stakeholders,

e) Cultural Heritage & Tourism that looks to introduce boat tourism through community jettis, promotion of yoga, adventure tourism etc.

f) Institutional Building by enhancing the local capacities for better decentralized water governance.

Shri Asok Kumar informed that following the MoU with Sahakar Bharati, exposure workshops and visits have been organised for several farmers in Shirdi, Bulandshahar, Sonipat, Haridwar and Meerut. The farmers are being nudged and sensitized to shift to Natural Farming and 75 ‘Sahakar Ganga Grams’ will be developed. Ghat Mein Haat initiative has also been launched under Arth Ganga in the Ganga Basin among other activities. Jalaj Livelihood Model has been launched at 26 locations and 15 more will be launched by 31^st December.

Among the central ministries, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare informed that various steps are being taken to build organic farming and natural farming corridors along River Ganga and eco-agriculture is being promoted besides efforts to improve water-use efficiency in Ganga villages.

The Ministry of Tourism informed that comprehensive plan is being worked out for development of tourism circuits along Ganga in line with Arth Ganga. Also, exhibitions and fairs across 75 towns along Ganga are being planned as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The Ministry of Culture, on the other hand, are planning Sanskriti Yatras along with dedicated Ganga galleries in Museums.

The Ministry of Power are taking steps in the direction of reuse of treated wastewater of thermal power plants by adopting cluster approach whereas the Ministry of Rural Development is actively looking for convergence of activities under MGNREGA for rejuvenation of small rivers and protection of traditional water bodies.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests informed that they are mulling scaling up of afforestation activities in the Ganga belt and a detailed plan to take ‘Project Dolphin’ forward is also underway. A comprehensive list of wetlands is also being developed among other efforts. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs informed that focus is on mapping of urban drains and management of sloid and liquid waste in Ganga towns under SBM 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 besides operationalizing of planning framework for River Cities.

In the States, the focus in the transition from Namami Gange Mission I to Namami Gange Mission II will be on expeditious completion of projects, preparation of bankable DPRs for projects in Ganga tributary towns, cutting down delays. The States informed that a lot of focus is being given on revival of small rivers and wetlands. For future, each Ganga district is to develop scientific plan and health card for at least 10 wetlands and adopt policies for reuse of treated water and other by products.

The States/ministries were urged to implement activities on Arth Ganga as per the six verticals in coordination with each other. It was also informed that a total 139 District Ganga Committees have been constituted out of which 52 are on the main stem of the River and 87 are on tributaries. Regular, monitored, mandated, monthly and minuted meetings of DGCs are being held now.

Shri Bishweswar Tudu, the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Smt. Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Amir Subhani, Chief Secretary, Bihar, Shri G. Asok Kumar, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga and other senior officials from NMCG, central ministries and States also attended the meeting.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Sh. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Chairing 10th ETF Meeting of NMCG along with MoS, Sh. Bishweswar Tudu & DG, NMCG Sh. G. Asok Kumar