Modi virtually lays foundation of ₹525-cr projects for Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces three other projects worth ₹ 1150 cr to benefit his parliamentary constituency

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation of two projects worth ₹525 crore for Varanasi and its adjoining areas virtually and announced three more projects worth ₹1150 crore that will benefit his parliamentary constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in Bhavnagar from where he launched several projects, including those for Varanasi. (ANI PHOTO )

The projects for which the foundation stone was laid are: Ship Repairing Facility Centre and Multi-Modal Logistics Park (Freight Village). The Ship Repairing Facility Centre project is worth ₹325 crore and Multi-Modal Logistics Park (Freight Village) project is worth ₹200 crore.

The new projects announced are the Cruise Terminal, Varanasi ( ₹100 crore) Regional Centre of Excellence (RCOE), Varanasi ( ₹ 150crore) and Urban Water Transport System, Varanasi and Kolkata ( ₹ 900 crore).

Modi made the announcement from Bhavnagar in Gujarat that hosted the ‘Samudra se Samriddhi’ event by the Union ministry of ports, shipping and waterways.

Addressing the gathering at Bhavnagar, Modi said, “India is moving forward with the spirit of global brotherhood and India has no major enemy in the world today, but in true terms, India’s biggest enemy is dependence on other nations.”

He added that this dependence must be collectively defeated. He reiterated that greater foreign dependence leads to greater national failure. For global peace, stability, and prosperity, the world’s most populous country must become self-reliant, Modi said.

“Chips or ships, we must make them in India”, he said.

“A historic decision has been taken to strengthen India’s maritime sector and the government now recognises large ships as infrastructure.” He added that India’s coastlines will become gateways to the nation’s prosperity.

Uttar Pradesh minister of state for transport Daya Shankar Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Sadhana Singh, Varanasi divisional commissioner S Rajalingam and other officials attended the event at the regional office of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Varanasi under the Union ministry of ports, shipping and waterways. IWAI officials watched the live streaming of the foundation laying at the authority’s regional office in Varanasi.

Sanjeeva Kumar, regional director, IWAI Varanasi office, said, “The primary objective of the Freight Village is to provide necessary support for the full operation of the Multi-Modal Terminal established in Varanasi in 2018. It will offer storage and distribution facilities for different types of cargo.”

He added that the main objective of the Ship Repairing Facility Centre was to provide mobility and centralised facilities for quick repair works to cruise, cargo and other small boats operating on National Waterway No. 1 (on the Ganga).