Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s day out on Sunday to Tamil Nadu and Kerala saw the dedication and commissioning of a slew of development projects in both the poll-bound States which would result in creation of thousands of jobs and savings in foreign exchange.
The Prime Minister also laid foundation stones for projects meant for farming, development of innovation for youths, strengthening of skill of technically qualified youths and development of tourism projects.
One of the important functions presided over by the Prime Minister was the handing over of Arjun Mk-1A the state-of-the-art main battle tank to Indian Army. The high performance tank was developed by the scientists of Chennai-based Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), a unit of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and other allied institutions. General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff, received Arjun Arjun Mk-1A from Prime Minister Modi in an elegant function held at Chennai’s Indoor Stadium.
Paying homages to the soldiers ambushed at Pulwama two years ago, the Prime Minister said, “No Indian can forget this day. Two years ago, Pulwama attack happened. We pay homage to all the martyrs we lost in that attack. We are proud of our security forces. Their bravery will continue to inspire generations.”
Quoting the verses of Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathi in Tamil, Modi said, “Let us make weapons; also make paper; let us make factories; let us also make schools; let us make vehicles that can move and fly — also let us make ships that can shake the world.” Inspired by this vision of Subramaniya Bharathi, India has undertaken a massive effort to become self-reliant in the defence sector.
Later, Modi inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project completed at a cost of \Rs 3,770 crore which would ease traffic flow in the city. A long time dream of the farmers in the Cauvery Delta districts (the five districts on the banks of Cauvery river) got a boost as the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Grand Anicut Canal System to be completed at a cost of Rs 2,640 crore.
The works would improve the water carrying capacity of the canals which distribute water meant for irrigating the farm lands.
The Prime Minister also launched the electrification of the railway track between Villupuram- Cuddalore-Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur stretch which is expected the save Indian Railway Rs 14.61 lakh per day in fuel cost on the Chennai-Egmore Kanyakumari stretch.
It turned out to be a golden day for Kerala as the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the Rs 6,000 crore propylene derivatives petrochemical complex at Kochi Refinery which would save the country foreign exchange worth Rs 4,000 crore per annum and generate thousands of job opportunities. This is the first unit in the country to produce acrylic acid and acrylates hitherto imported at high costs. The acrylic acid unit commissioned by the Prime Minister is world’s largest single train unit.
Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated the Ro-Ro vessels at the historic Willingdon Island which will reduce distance from 30 km by road to 3.5 km on waterways. This will help us to bring down the transportation cost, transit time, pollution, and congestion on road in Kochi,” said the Prime Minister.
Sagarika, the international cruise terminal, built at a cost of Rs 25.72 crore was thrown open to service by the Prime Minister marking Kochi as an important cruise station in the global tourism map. The terminal would cater to more than a lakh tourists per year with its air conditioned halls for lounging, ten counters for customs clearance and 48 counters for immigration formalities.
Vigyana Sagar, the marine engineering training institute, with a capacity to train 114 fresh engineering graduates in different aspects of naval and architect engineering is another of the innovative establishment dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister on Sunday. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for reconstructing the south Coal Berth at Kochi to facilitate the import of ammonia meant for FACT, the public sector fertiliser giant.