PM lays foundation stones, inaugurates projects worth Rs 4,200 crores in Pithoragarh
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 12 Oct: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth about Rs 4200 crore in sectors including rural development, roads, power, irrigation, drinking water, horticulture, education, health and disaster management, among others at a function held in Pithoragarh, today.
Addressing the gathering present on the occasion, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the unprecedented love and affection and countless blessings of the people of Uttarakhand on his visit and observed that his welcome was like a Ganga of Affection flowing through. Modi bowed before the land of spirituality and valour, and before the courageous women of the state. He emphasised that the zeal and enthusiasm of the soldiers of Garhwal Rifles soars with the proclamation of Jai Badri Vishal at Baidyanath Dham, and the tolling of the bells at the Kali Mandir at Gangolihat infuses new courage into the soldiers of Kumaon regiment. At Manaskhand, PM Modi also mentioned Baidyanath, Nandadevi, Poorangiri, Kasardevi, Kainchi Dham, Katarmal, Nanakmatta, Reetha Sahib and other shrines pf Kumaon region and said that they are known for the grandeur and heritage that they carry. Modi claimed that he always feels blessed whenever he is amongst the people of Uttarakhand.
Earlier in the day, the PM also performed pooja and darshan at the ancient Parvati Kund. In his address, he shared that he had prayed for the good health of every Indian and the strengthening of the resolution of Viksit Bharat and had sought blessings so that all the aspirations of the people of Uttarakhand get fulfilled. In his speech, the PM also mentioned his meetings with the soldiers, artists and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and expressed happiness about meeting the pillars of security, prosperity and culture. Modi reiterated that this decade is going to be the decade of Uttarakhand. He claimed that the government is working with full dedication for the progress and ease of life of the people of Uttarakhand. He further recalled his long association and closeness with Uttarakhand. Talking about the “Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam”, the Prime Minister mentioned the support and response he had been receiving from the state.
The Prime Minister also reminded the people about the ‘development strides made by India’. Modi said that the world is now recognising India and the contribution of Indians. Recalling the despondency of the past, the Prime Minister noted the strong voice of India at the global stage that is beset with challenges. He also mentioned India’s global appreciation for the G-20 presidency and the recently concluded G-20 summit. He credited the people for the success of the country as they chose a stable and strong government at the Centre after a long gap. He said he carries the trust and confidence of 140 crore Indians in his global presence.
The Prime Minister reminded the people that more than 13.5 crore Indians have come out of poverty in the past 5 years and he credited the all-inclusive approach of the Government where those in the remotest of places also receive government benefits for this success. He claimed that the world is amazed with India’s success story. Modi stressed that among the 13.5 crore people who have come out of poverty also include those who dwell in remote and hill regions. This, he said is an example of the fact that India can uproot the nation’s poverty on its own.
Modi pointed out that even though the previous governments introduced slogans of ‘Garibi Hatao’, it is ‘Modi’ who says that poverty can be uprooted by taking ownership and responsibility. He recalled also the recent project of Chandrayan which had managed to land successfully on the south pole of the Moon and achieved what no nation could do so far. He reminded that the site where Chandrayan landed has been named Shiv Shakti and that the identity of Uttarakhand is now on the Moon. He added that Shiva Shakti Yog can be witnessed at every step in Uttarakhand.
The Prime further underlined India’s sporting prowess and spoke about the joy of the all-time high medal tally at the Asian Games. Uttarakhand had sent 8 athletes in the contingent and teams of Lakshya Sen and Vandana Kataria won medals. At the call of the Prime Minister, the audience cheered the achievement by the raised flashlights of their mobile phones. The Prime Minister said that the government is providing full support to athletes for their training and infrastructure. He also reminded that he laid the foundation stones for the hockey ground in Haldwani and a velodrome in Rudrapur. The Prime Minister extended his wishes to the state government and the Chief Minister for wholehearted preparation for the national games.
The PM observed that every village in Uttarakhand has produced those who protect India’s border, adding that it is the present government that had fulfilled their decade-old demand of One Rank One Pension. He also informed that an amount of more than Rs 70,000 crores has already been transferred to former soldiers under the ‘One Rank One Pension’ scheme which has hugely benefited more than 75,000 families of former soldiers. Addressing the people in a border area today, the PM said that the development of border areas is a top priority for his government. Pointing out the lack of development in border areas during the previous governments, the Prime Minister spoke about their fear of land being usurped by neighbouring nations with the infrastructural developments. “Neither does New India fears anything, nor does it induce fear in others,” the Prime Minister remarked as he spoke about the infrastructural developments taking place in border areas. He stated that more than 4,200 km of roads, 250 bridges and 22 tunnels have been built in border areas in the last 9 years. Mentioning the projects of today, the Prime Minister stated that plans are underway to bring the railways to the border areas.
The Prime Minister added that the Vibrant Village scheme has turned the last villages into the first villages of the country adding that the government’s effort is to bring back people who have left these villages and that the government is making efforts to increase tourism there. Modi claimed that due to the wrong policies of the past with regard to water, medicine, roads, education and medical facilities, people were forced to leave their homes and migrate elsewhere. He said new facilities and infrastructure are coming up in Uttarakhand in these areas. He said apple farming will benefit from the roads and irrigation facilities and the polyhouse scheme launched today. An amount of Rs 1100 crores will be spent on these projects. He added that a lot of money is being spent to improve the lives of our small farmers of Uttarakhand. Under various schemes like PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, farmers of Uttarakhand have so far received more than Rs 2200 crores.
The Prime Minister also touched upon the Shri Anna Scheme related to millets which have been grown in Uttarakhand for many generations and highlighted the government’s efforts to take it across the world. He mentioned that a campaign has been started across the country which will hugely benefit the small farmers of Uttarakhand. He said that under the Har Ghar Jal Yojana, 11 lakh families of Uttarakhand have received piped water supply in their homes. The PM also mentioned various schemes aimed at improving the condition of women. He also spoke about the possible utility of drones in agriculture.
Modi said that, in Uttarakhand, there is Ganga and Gangotri in every village. Lord Shiva and Nanda reside on the snow peaks here and he also mentioned various traditional melas and fairs organised in the state like Kauthig and Thaul. He said that the songs, music and food of Uttarakhand have their own unique identity and the land is enriched with cultural events like Pandav dance, Chholiya dance, Mangal Geet, Phuldei, Harela, Bagwal and Ramman. He also touched upon various delicacies of Uttarakhand like Aarse, Jhangore ki Kheer, Kafuli, Pakodas, Raita, Almora’s Bal Mithai, and Singori. The Prime Minister also recalled his lifelong connections with the land of Kali Ganga and the Advaita Ashram located in Champawat. He expressed his desire to spend time at Advaita Ashram in Champawat soon.
Modi said that the efforts of the double-engine government related to the development of tourism and pilgrimage in Uttarakhand are now bearing fruit. This year, the number of devotees coming for Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand is reaching around 50 lakhs. With the blessings of Baba Kedar, the first phase related to the reconstruction of Kedarnath Dham has been completed. Many works are also being done in Badrinath Dham. Modi said that the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission that started today will ease access to many temples in the Kumaon region and encourage the devotees to come to these temples. He also stated that the expanding connectivity of Uttarakhand is going to take the development of the state to new heights. He mentioned the Chardham Mega Project and All Weather Road as well as Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project. Acknowledging the calamity-prone nature of Uttarakhand, the PM said that in the coming four to five years, an amount of over Rs 4,000 crores will be spent on projects to prepare to deal with natural disasters. Such facilities will be built in Uttarakhand so that in case of disaster, relief and rescue work can be done quickly. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and several ministers were also present on the occasion.
