Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to inaugurate, lay foundation stones, and dedicate a multitude of developmental initiatives in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra on Wednesday. Having arrived in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, the Prime Minister actively engaged in a program entitled ‘Pioneering the Future – Digital Mobility for Automotive MSME Entrepreneurs’ in Madurai. During the event, he introduced two significant endeavors aimed at fostering and elevating MSMEs in the Indian automotive sector.
On the upcoming day, PM Modi will unveil a comprehensive portfolio of 36 infrastructure projects valued at over Rs 17,000 crore at VO Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. In a public gathering at Thoothukudi, he will lay the foundational cornerstone for the Outer Harbor Container Terminal at VO Chidambaranar Port. This strategic move is pivotal in the transformation of VO Chidambaranar Port into a transshipment hub catering to the east coast.
The initiative endeavors to leverage India’s extensive coastline and strategically advantageous geographic position, bolstering India’s competitiveness on the global trade stage, as outlined in a government statement. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate diverse projects to position VO Chidambaranar Port as the country’s foremost Green Hydrogen Hub Port, featuring initiatives such as a desalination plant and a hydrogen production bunkering facility.
PM Modi will additionally launch India’s maiden indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel under the Harit Nauka initiative. This vessel, crafted by Cochin Shipyard, marks a pioneering stride towards embracing clean energy solutions in alignment with the nation’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister will dedicate tourist amenities in 75 lighthouses across ten States/Union Territories during the program. Rail projects, including the doubling of the Vanchi Maniyachchi – Nagercoil line and the Melappalayam – Aralvaymoli section, will be dedicated to the nation.
Costing approximately Rs 1,477 crore, the doubling project is poised to significantly reduce travel time for trains bound for Chennai from Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, and Tirunelveli. Additionally, four road projects in Tamil Nadu, totaling around Rs 4,586 Crore, will be dedicated. These include the four-laning of the Jittandahalli-Dharmapuri section of NH-844, two-laning with paved shoulders of the Meensurutti-Chidambaram section of NH-81, four-laning of the Oddanchatram-Madathukulam section of NH-83, and two-laning with paved shoulders of the Nagapattinam-Thanjavur section of NH-83.
Around 4.30 pm, the Prime Minister will partake in a public gathering in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, inaugurating and dedicating numerous development projects exceeding Rs 4900 crore. Notably, the 16th installment of over Rs 21,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) will be released, benefitting more than 11 crore farmers’ families through direct transfer.
This release brings the total amount transferred to over 3 lakh crore to these families. PM Modi will also disburse the 2nd and 3rd installments of ‘Namo Shetkari MahaSanman Nidhi,’ amounting to about Rs 3800 crore, benefiting around 88 lakh farmers in Maharashtra.
Moreover, PM Modi will allocate Rs 825 crore from the Revolving Fund to 5.5 lakh women self-help groups (SHGs) across Maharashtra. This supplementary amount, in addition to the revolving fund provided by the Government of India under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), aims to promote lending within SHGs on a rotational basis, enhancing the annual income of impoverished households through women-led microenterprises.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will commence the distribution of one crore Ayushman cards across Maharashtra. He will launch the Modi Awaas Gharkul Yojana for OBC category beneficiaries, envisioning the construction of 10 lakh houses from FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26. The initial installment of Rs 375 crore will be transferred to 2.5 lakh Yojana beneficiaries.
Furthermore, PM Modi will dedicate several irrigation projects benefiting the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra, collectively costing over Rs 2750 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY) and Baliraja Jal Sanjeevani Yojana (BJSY).
The Prime Minister will inaugurate rail projects exceeding Rs 1300 crore in Maharashtra, including the Wardha-Kalamb broad gauge line and the New Ashti – Amalner broad gauge line. Notably, he will virtually flag off two train services, enhancing rail connectivity and offering substantial benefits to students, traders, and daily commuters in the region.
PM Modi will then dedicate various projects aimed at fortifying the road sector in Maharashtra, encompassing the four-laning of the Warora-Wani section of NH-930, road upgradation projects connecting Sakoli-Bhandara and Salaikhurd-Tirora, and the inauguration of the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in Yavatmal city.