Modi launches projects in Kerala, visits temple
Speaking to around 6,000 BJP in charges of shakti kendras, composed of booth workers, Modi told the cadre to identify beneficiaries of central government schemes and talk to their families
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday drew a contrast between his government and the earlier United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, saying that while the latter was weak and unstable and allowed terrorist attacks to hurt investment, his administration has built infrastructure such as ports and ship-repair clusters to make India a global maritime power. He also exhorted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cadre in Kerala to remind voters about the difference.
Modi made the comments on the second day of his two-day visit to southern India where he inaugurated three major shipping and energy projects in Kochi, visited the Guruvayur temple and addressed a convention of party workers. This is the second visit of the PM to Kerala since the turn of the year, after he travelled to the state as well as Lakshwadeep and Tamil Nadu on January 2 and 3.
Speaking to around 6,000 BJP in charges of shakti kendras, composed of booth workers, Modi told the cadre to identify beneficiaries of central government schemes and talk to their families.
“Understand how a voter can benefit from central schemes. Find out their problems and decipher if they have benefited from Digital India. The PM SVANidhi yojana is there for street vendors. As the booth in-charge, you should take responsibilities of families in your booths. Ask people to add their names to the voter list as no one should be excluded from the voting process,” he said.
He said that the message that the BJP worker must carry from house to house should also include the “weak and unstable government” that existed till 2014.
“In those days, terrorist attacks took place which adversely affected investments and our expatriates in foreign countries. You must tell voters that the politics of fronts like the LDF [Left Democratic Front] and UDF [United Democratic Front] revolves around corruption and scams,” he said. The two major political coalitions usually alternate in power in Kerala.
He also asked BJP workers to engage in cleanliness campaigns in temples in the run up to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22, and asked them to light lamps in their homes on that evening.
The PM inaugurated three key projects — a new dry dock at the Cochin Shipyard Limited built for ₹1,800 crore, a ₹970 crore International Ship Repair Facility that can berth seven 130-metre length vessels, and a ₹1,236 crore Indian Oil LPG Import Terminal.
“Until 10 years ago, the ships at our ports had to wait a long time to unload (their cargo). But the situation has changed completely. Today, India has raced ahead of other developed countries in terms of ship turnaround time. The world understands India’s role in global trade. During the G20 summit, consensus was reached on India’s proposal for an economic corridor connecting the Middle East and Europe. It is proof of the sentiment that the corridor will strengthen the creation of developed India. Our coastal economy draws power from it,” the PM said in Kochi.
He said that the Maritime Amrit Kaal vision, launched in 2021, was a road map for how the country can strengthen its maritime facilities. “We are focusing on creating infrastructure like shipbuilding, ship repair clusters, and mega ports to make India a global maritime power,” he said.
He said that the new dry dock, a one-of-a-kind 310-metre long stepped dry dock project that will help handling strategic assets such as aircraft carriers and large commercial vehicles, was the pride of India.
“With these projects, the contribution of the maritime sector to India’s growth will increase…With this, large vessels can not only be accommodated, but shipbuilding and ship repairs can also be strengthened. India’s dependence on foreign countries will reduce and the money we used to send abroad earlier will be spent here. Kochi will become India and Asia’s largest ship repair centre,” he said.
The PM praised the green technology capabilities of the Cochin Shipyard by underlining its role in rolling out electric hybrid ferries for the water metro project in Kochi as well as for similar ferry projects in Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura and Guwahati.
“The work on the world’s first hydrogen-fueled feeder container vessel is progressing. It strengthens our vision of Make in India and Make for the world. Cochin Shipyard is powering our mission of taking India towards hydrogen fuel-based transport. I am confident that the country will soon get an indigenous hydrogen fuel cell ferry,” he said.
He also said that fishermen had a key role to play in the blue economy and port-led development. “Under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, modern infrastructure is being built for fishing. The Centre is giving subsidies for modern boats to fishermen for deep sea fishing. Like farmers, fishermen too are being given the Kisan credit cards. These efforts have led to a major rise in fish production and exports in the last 10 years,” he said.
The PM spent the morning offering prayers at the Shri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur and the Shri Rama temple in Triprayar, both in Thrissur. He also attended the wedding ceremony of Bhagya Suresh, daughter of actor and BJP leader Suresh Gopi at the Guruvayur temple. Gopi is likely to be the BJP candidate for the Thrissur assembly constituency, a seat the BJP hopes to win, senior party leaders said.