MK Stalin seeks funds while PM Modi launches Rs 5,000 crore projects in Chennai

Chennai:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched and laid the foundation stone for new projects worth nearly Rs 5,000 crore in Tamil Nadu in the transport sector, which included the decommissioning of the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express and the inauguration of a new integrated terminal building (phase one) of the Chennai International Airport. .

The chief minister emphasized the center’s push for the growth of the state, detailing various initiatives in this regard, even as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin pressed for more projects and funds to be allocated to his state from the Union Government.

In his speech, Prime Minister Modi said that India is undergoing a revolution in the field of infrastructure development. It is driven by speed and scale, he noted, with the union’s budget allocating a record investment of Rs 10 crore in infrastructure. “That’s five times more than in 2014.”

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin said that India as a country will prosper only when money flows in from the states development center. The Prime Minister called for increasing financial allocations for railway projects.

Major projects such as the Chennai-Maduravoyal Expressway, the Chennai-Tambaram elevated corridor, the four-lane East Coast Road, the widening of the Chennai-Kanchipuram-Velur Expressways and the Chennai-Madurai National Highway should be accelerated into six lanes. “I take this opportunity to ask our Prime Minister to direct NHAI to speed up the ongoing road projects,” he urged Mr. Stalin.

Prosperous and strong states are the true indicators of a cooperative federalism and a vibrant India, and he insisted and claimed that his Dravidian model of governance strives on this principle to implement the structural programs required for the development of the whole of Tamil Nadu.

The chief minister said that the development of Tamil Nadu is a big priority for the center and added that the state has been allocated an all-time high budget of Rs 6,000 crore this year for railway infrastructure.

“The average amount allocated annually over the period 2009-2014 was less than Rs. 900 crore. Between 2004 and 2014, about 800 km of NH added in Tennessee and between 2014 and 2023 nearly 2,000 km of NH added” . The prime minister said that the investment in highway development and maintenance in the state in 2014-15 was Rs 1,200 crore and in 2022-23 it increased to more than Rs 8,200 crore.

The prime minister emphasized the speed and scale of work now, be it in developing national highways, electrifying railways, and increasing the number of airports before 2014 and after the NDA regime assumed power. India has more rural internet users than urban users and the nation is number one in the world in digital transactions.

Tamil Nadu is the home of history and heritage. It is the land of language and literature and the center of patriotism and national consciousness. He said that many of the prominent freedom fighters in the country are from Tamil Nadu.

“I know I have come to you at a festive time. In just a few days the new year will be celebrated in Tamil Nadu, it is a time of new energy, new hopes, new aspirations and new beginnings,” Prime Minister Modi said.

On an occasion at MGR Chennai Central Railway Station, the Prime Minister announced the special opening of the Vande Bharat Express loaded with modern features and amenities for the passengers. He also interacted with school students on the train.

“It is the fastest train between the two cities with a travel time of 5 hours and 50 minutes, saving more than an hour of journey time,” said Southern Railway.

The airport’s new integrated passenger terminal is uniquely designed to showcase the country’s rich culture and heritage. “The addition of this new integrated terminal building will increase the airport’s passenger service capacity from 23 million passengers per year (MPPA) to 30 MPPA. The new terminal is a stunning reflection of the local Tamil culture, incorporating traditional features such as kolam, sari, temples and other elements that highlight the environment natural.”

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that civil aviation is changing and our country had only six crore passengers in the year 2013-14. In nine years, it has doubled to 14.5 crore passengers annually across India.

The sector, after two and a half years of COVID, has surpassed the previous COVID record of 4.20 lakh riders per day to a new record of 4.55 lakh riders per day.

The country that built just 74 airports in 65 years of independence, has in the nine-year period under Modi’s leadership built an additional 74 helipads, doubling the number to 148, and the president is very clear in that direction.

Addressing the 125th anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Modi said that people across the country have always had a clear concept of a nation and as a state that, for thousands of years, reflects the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shrist Bharat’, One India, Great India.

Among other things, the Chief Minister inaugurated a 7.3 km elevated pass in Madurai and various train services connecting different parts of the state. He laid the foundation stone for national highway projects that will enhance interstate connectivity between Tennessee and Kerala.

(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by the NDTV staff and was published from a syndicated feed.)