PM inaugurates projects for Chhattisgarh worth Rs 22,000 crore, says that the state is moving ahead with pace on the path of rapid progress.
Development is the only and best answer to every form of violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on 14 June as he inaugurated projects for Chhattisgarh worth Rs 22,000 crore.
“The mention of Bastar used to invoke images of guns, bombs and violence. Today, this region is known for Jagdalpur airport. I believe that to every form of violence, there is only one reply and it is development,” he said in his address to a gathering after flagging off the first flight between Jagdalpur and Chhattisgarh capital Raipur. “Now, the travel time between Raipur and Jagdalpur will be shortened to just 40 minutes from the earlier 6-7 hours. Thanks to the policies of our government, today more people are flying than those travelling in trains’ AC coaches,” Prime Minister Modi said.
He said that increased connectivity will attract industry and this will generate more employment. Earlier, the Prime Minister also dedicated the modernised and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant to the nation and distributed laptops and cheques to beneficiaries.
He said peace, stability and law and order were the prerequisite for development and the Chhattisgarh government led by Chief Minister Raman Singh had provided that and made the state embark on the path of progress. “Chief Minister Raman Singh, with his hard work, has taken further the vision of (former Prime Minister) Atalji (Bihari Vajpayee), which gives us pleasure. The state is moving ahead with pace on the path of development,” he said.
The Prime Minister said his government altered the laws to make sure a certain part of the income from the minerals extracted from Chhattisgarh is spent on the welfare of the people, including the Adivasis.
Also inaugurating the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur Smart City, the Prime Minister also unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of phase-2 of BharatNet. He later visited Blast Furnace-8 at the Bhilai Steel Plant, and was briefed on various aspects of the plant. People lined the streets of Bhilai to greet the Prime Minister. The second Prime Minister to visit the Bhilai Steel Plant after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who last visited it in 1963, Modi said that the plant has contributed in a big way to nation-building. He said the modernised and expanded plant would be instrumental in building a strong foundation for a New India.
The Prime Minister also spoke of the benefits that the other development projects launched would bring about. He said that the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan has had a very positive effect. “This Abhiyan (mission) is being pursued vigorously in the 115 Aspirational Districts, out of which 12 districts are in Chhattisgarh,” he said mentioning about the benefit that schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana and Saubhagya have brought about in the state.