Double-engine govt must for Himachal’s growth: PM
The PM also expressed confidence that the BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur will fulfil the people’s expectations.
The “double-engine” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Himachal Pradesh will buck the state’s electoral tradition of voting out the incumbent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, adding that his government was focussed on fulfilling the aspirations of 21st century India.
Modi, who is on his second visit in eight days to Himachal Pradesh, flagged off the country’s fourth Vande Bharat train — which will operate on the Amb Andaura-New Delhi route six days a week — and inaugurated a slew of development projects in Una and Chamba districts. He laid the foundation for a ₹1,900-crore bulk drug park at Haroli, and inaugurated an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Una.
“We will provide you facilities of the 20th as well as the 21st centuries,” he said, addressing a rally at the Indira Gandhi stadium in Una. “Our government is fulfilling the aspirations of 21st-century India. New India is overcoming challenges of the past and growing rapidly,” Modi said.
The PM also expressed confidence that the BJP government led by Jai Ram Thakur will fulfil the people’s expectations. “The festival of Diwali has arrived early for Una and Himachal Pradesh. I am happy to announce gifts worth several thousand crores to the state before Dhanteras and Diwali. Today, I flagged off the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat train. The double engine government will create history and the people of Himachal Pradesh will change the tradition [of voting out the incumbent],” he said. Double-engine is a reference to the BJP being in power both in the state and at the Centre, and is a common poll slogan for the party.
He hit out at previous Congress governments and said they were indifferent to the needs of the state’s people. “There was a complete lack of confidence and utter disappointment here. They never bothered about the people of Himachal... But now, time has changed. The double-engine government is not only fulfilling the needs, but also living up to the expectation of the people of Himachal,” the PM said.
The BJP is looking for a second consecutive term in Himachal Pradesh, which has traditionally alternated between the two national parties. The party is facing a challenge from the Congress also. Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat go to the polls towards the end of the year.
In his 2.28-minutespeech, Modi focussed on connectivity and said development had been hindered by lack of connectivity. “A perfect example of the laid-back attitude of previous governments is the Nangal-Una-Talwara railway line that is incomplete even after 40 years,” he said.
He listed the work carried out by the BJP government and said improvements were made in the state’s road network, broadband connectivity, power supply, supply of essentials to remote areas, tapped water facilities and other common services at the village level.
“The bulk drug park and the medical device park, the foundation stone of which was laid recently, will not only strengthen India’s position as a medicine manufacturing hub but also ensure medicines become cheaper when both the raw material and production cost will come down,” said the PM.
He added that the IIIT in Una will boost the digital revolution in the state. “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav will also mark the golden period of development in Himachal and take the hill state to new heights,” he said.
This Vande Bharat train is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speed in shorter duration. It accelerates to 100 km per hour in just 52 seconds.
The Opposition Congress termed the PM’s visit an “election gimmick”, saying the BJP was “terribly scared” of losing the elections.
“The BJP’s countdown began with biting the dust in the bypolls,” state Congress president Pratibha Singh said in a statement. In the bypolls held on October 30 last year, the BJP lost the Mandi parliamentary seat and three assembly seats of Fatehpur, Arki, and Jubbai-Kothkai to the Congress.
(with PTI inputs)
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