Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Central government had approved around 900 new air routes under UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme and of them 350 had already become operational while more than 50 new airports, or those which were not in service earlier, had become operational.

Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the Kushinagar International Airport and laying the foundation stones of 12 projects worth over Rs 345 crore, including a Rs 280 crore 500-bed new medical college in Kushinagar, on Wednesday, the prime minister said, “The Union government is also working on preparing more than 200 airports, heliports and water ports for seaplanes in the next four years. The aim behind all these steps is to provide better connectivity to people living in the remotest corners while air, rail, road and waterways add to people’s comfort. More middle-class people are able to avail flight services today than in the past due to the steps taken by the government. The process of setting up eight new flying academies at five airports has also started for training the youth in the aviation sector.”

On the policy front, Modi said that allowing defence airspace for civilians’ travel had reduced both distance and time between destinations considerably, and added, “The recently launched ‘Drone Policy’ is going to bring life-changing transformation in fields ranging from agriculture to health and disaster management to defence.”

Stressing the importance of developing Buddhist sites as a priority of both the Central and Uttar Pradesh governments, the prime minister said, “The Kushinagar airport will provide better connectivity to Buddhist sites in both UP and Bihar for both domestic and foreign travelers because of its strategic location near Lord Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini and Sarnath.”

Describing the Kushinagar International Airport as a tribute to Buddhists across the world, Modi said that the region had witnessed the journey of Lord Buddha from enlightenment to Mahaparinirvana and with the opening of the airport on Wednesday it was getting connected directly to the world.

“The airport will benefit farmers, livestock farmers, shopkeepers, workers and entrepreneurs while creating job opportunities for scores of youths in tourism and hospitality sectors as well as related industries,” he said.

Without naming Samajwadi Party, Modi said that before 2017, the policy of the government was to allow loot and called themselves as `samajwadis’ whereas they were actually ‘parivarwadi’.

"Today, under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, criminals are asking for clemency because the Bharatiya Janata Party government has destroyed their network. Even women stand benefited as they have got houses, cooking gas and power connections,” he said.

Announcing that the Central government had started another scheme which was going to open new doors of prosperity in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, the prime minister said that under PM Swamitva Yojana, work of providing home ownership documents to the households of the village had started which would benefit the people in getting loan against their houses.

“One who is homeless or is living in a slum and when he gets a pucca house having a toilet, electricity, gas and water connection, the confidence of that person soars further,” Modi said.

Speaking on the importance of UP, Modi said that the state had not only given the maximum number of prime ministers but also had pilgrimage sites at every step and there was energy in every particle.

"UP is home to Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. Vedas and Puranas were written in Naimisharanya. In the medieval period, Tulsidas and Kabir Das were also born here. This state has also got the privilege of giving birth to a social reformer like Sant Ravidas. Our glorious Sikh Guru tradition also has a deep connection with Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

The prime minister also welcomed the maiden Sri Lankan flight and delegation that landed at Kushinagar airport on Wednesday.