Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chhattisgarh on Friday in order to lay the foundation stones of as many as ten projects worth around Rs 7,600 crore. After being elected as the Prime Minister for the second term in 2019, this was his maiden visit to the Congress-ruled state where Assembly elections are due this year-end.
The Prime Minister's event took place at the Science College ground in Raipur. He was also welcomed by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel who presented the PM with gifts.
PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation of the following projects:
- The four-laning of the 33-km-long Raipur-Kodebod section of the National Highway 30
- The 53-km-long four-lane Bilaspur-Pathrapali stretch of NH-130
- Lay foundation stone for construction of three sections: Jhanki- Sargi (43 km), Sargi –Basanwahi (57 km) and Basanwahi-Marangpuri (25 km)
- The PM dedicated to the nation the doubling of the 103-km-long Raipur-Khariar Road Rail Line
- A 17-km-long new railway line connecting Keoti-Antagarh
- A bottling plant of the Indian Oil Corporation with a capacity of 60,000 metric ton per annum in Korba
PM distributes cards under the Ayushman Bharat scheme
Besides, the Prime Minister also distributed 75 lakh cards to beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He also flagged off a new train from Antagarh to Raipur.
PM Modi addresses people in Raipur
Prime Minister Modi also addressed a public meeting at the same venue. "It's a historic day today in the developmental journey of Chhattisgarh. Today, Chhattisgarh is receiving a gift of projects worth over Rs 7,000 crore. This gift is for infrastructure, connectivity and to make lives of people of Chhattisgarh easy," he said.
The Prime Minister further said that the Central government is committed to create new opportunities in those regions that have natural resources. He said steps taken by the government have strengthened industrialisation in Chhattisgarh.
"Nine years ago, over 20 per cent of villages in Chhattisgarh did not have any kind of mobile connectivity. Today, this has come down to nearly 6 per cent," PM Modi claimed.
ALSO READ: PM Modi to dedicate, lay foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 24,300 cr in Bikaner on July 8
According to police, a massive security cover was put in place at the programme venue. A multi-layered security blanket, involving personnel of the state police besides contingents of the Special Protection Group (SPG), has been put in place in the area, located in the mid of the city, a police official said.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Chhattisgarh believe that Modi's visit will boost the morale of the party workers, who are gearing up for the polls in the state. The party had lost the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh in 2018, after being in power for 15 years.
(With inputs from PTI)
Latest India News
