New Delhi/IBNS: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of mechanization and industrialization projects worth around Rs 3800 crores in Mangaluru on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that today is a red letter day in the history of India. Be it territorial security or economic security, India is witnessing huge opportunities.
Recalling the commissioning of INS Vikrant earlier today, the Prime Minister exuded the pride that every Indian is experiencing.
Referring to the projects for which were inaugurated or foundation stones were laid, the Prime Minister said that these projects will increase the ease of living and employment in Karnataka especially, ‘One District and One Product’ scheme will facilitate the availability of market for the products of fishermen, artisans and farmers of the region.
Remarking on the five vows (Panch Pran), the Prime Minister said that the first of the five vows that he had talked about from the Red Fort is the creation of a developed India.
The Prime Minister said, “To build a developed India, it is very necessary to expand the manufacturing sector of the country, ‘Make in India’.”
Highlighting the efforts that the country has made toward port-led development, the Prime Minister emphasized that it is an important mantra for development. As a result of such efforts, the capacity of India’s ports has almost doubled in just 8 years.
Remarking on the prioritized infrastructure development in the last 8 years, the Prime Minister said that it is Karnataka that has benefited immensely from it.
“Karnataka is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Sagarmala scheme”, the Prime Minister added. Highway Projects worth 70 thousand have been added in the last 8 years in the state and more than one lakh crore rupees worth of projects are in the pipeline,” he added.
The railway budget for the projects in Karnataka increased fourfold in the last 8 years.
Observing the developments in the last 8 years, the Prime Minister said that more than 3 crore houses have been built for the poor in the country, and in Karnataka, the approval for more than 8 lakh pucca houses for the poor have been given.
“Thousands of middle-class families have also been supported with crores of rupees to build their houses,” the Prime Minister added.
He further highlighted that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 6 crore households in the country have been linked with piped water facilities in just 3 years.
“Piped water has reached more than 30 lakh, rural families of Karnataka, for the first time,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister mentioned that under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, about 4 crore poor people of the country have received free treatment during hospitalisation.
“Due to this, about 50 thousand crore rupees have been saved from being spent for the poor. More than 30 lakh patients of Karnataka have also got the benefit of Ayushman Bharat,” the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister said that the government is making sure that those who were forgotten due to their weak financial conditions are not neglected.
The Prime Minister further added that small farmers, small traders, fishermen, street vendors, and crores of such people have started getting the benefits of the country’s development for the first time.
“They are joining the mainstream of development of India”, he said.
Drawing everyone’s attention towards India’s seven and a half thousand kilometres coastal line, the Prime Minister said that we have to take full advantage of this potential of the country.
The Prime Minister said, “When tourism grows, it benefits our cottage industries, our artisans, village industries, street vendors, auto rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers etc. I am glad that New Mangalore Port is continuously adding new facilities to boost cruise tourism.”
“Today digital payments are at a historic level and our innovations like BHIM-UPI are grabbing the attention of the world”, the Prime Minister added. He further said that today, people of the country want fast and cheap internet with robust connectivity. The Prime Minister underlined that today, gram panchayats are being connected by laying about 6 lakh km of optical fiber. “The facility of 5G is going to bring a new revolution in this field. I am glad that the double-engine government of Karnataka is also working to fulfil the needs and aspirations of the people at a fast pace,” he added.
Reflecting on the GDP figures that have come out a few days ago, the Prime Minister said that the policies made by India during the Corona period and the decisions taken have played a key role in the development of India.
“Last year, despite so many global disruptions, India’s exports were worth a total of $ 670 billion i.e. 50 lakh crore rupees. Overcoming every challenge, India made a new record of merchandise export of $ 418 billion i.e. 31 lakh crore rupees,” the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister said that every sector related to the growth engine of the country is running at full capacity today. The service sector is also moving towards rapid growth.
He said that the impact of PLI schemes can be seen very clearly in the manufacturing sector.
“The entire electronic manufacturing sector including mobile phones has grown manifold,” he said.
The Prime Minister also drew everyone’s attention to the emerging toy sector of India where the import of toys has decreased in 3 years and the export has increased almost as much. “All these are being directly benefited by the coastal areas of the country, which provide their resources for exporting Indian goods, which have major ports like Mangaluru”, the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister further added that with the efforts of the government, the country has witnessed a significant increase in coastal traffic over the years.
“Due to increased facilities and resources at different ports of the country, the coastal movement has become easier now”, he added. “It is the effort of the government that port connectivity should be better, it should be accelerated. Therefore, under PM Gatishakti National Master Plan, more than two hundred and fifty projects of railways and roads have been identified which will help in seamless port connectivity,” the Prime Minister remarked.
The Prime Minister threw the spotlight on the celebrations of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, and remembered the struggles faced by Queen Abbakka and Queen Chennabhaira Devi in saving India’s soil from the clutches of slavery. “Today, these brave women are a great inspiration for India moving forward in the field of exports”, he added.
The Prime Minister concluded his address by referring to the Karavali region of Karnataka. He said, “ I always feel inspired by this energy of patriotism, of national resolve. May this energy seen in Mangaluru continue to brighten the path of such development, with the same wish, many congratulations and best wishes to all of you for these development projects.”
