PM Modi launches projects worth ₹660 crore in Jharkhand; Congress poses 3 questions
The prime minister also virtually flagged off six Vande Bharat trains from Tatanagar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched various projects worth ₹660 crore on Sunday in Jharkhand's Ranchi.
The prime minister also virtually flagged off six Vande Bharat trains from Tatanagar.
The trains will run on the Tatanagar - Patna, Bhagalpur - Dumka - Howrah, Brahmapur - Tatanagar, Gaya - Howrah, Deoghar -Varanasi, and Rourkela - Howrah routes.
From Ranchi, he laid the foundation stone for the Madhupur bypass line in Deoghar district and the Hazaribag town coaching depot.
Modi also dedicated to the nation doubling of the Kurkura-Kanaroan line, which is a part of the Bondamunda-Ranchi single-line section and the Rourkela-Gomoh route via Ranchi, Muri and Chandrapura stations.
The prime minister also virtually distributed sanction letters to 32,000 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) and released first instalment of ₹32 crore for the construction of houses.
He also virtually handed over keys to 46,000 beneficiaries of PMAY-G across the country. The Centre has approved 1,13,400 houses for the poor in Jharkhand under the PMAY-G scheme, according to PTI.
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Addressing a gathering virtually, Modi congratulated the people of Jharkhand for these projects.
“There was a time when modern development was limited to certain cities of the country. States like Jharkhand lagged in terms of modern development. But the approach of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas' has changed the mentality of the country. Now the poor, Adivasi and Dalits are the priority of our nation. Women, farmers and youth are a priority…”
He said that the whole region will develop with the expansion of rail services in Eastern India.
“The budget for railway development for Jharkhand is Rs. 7000 crores. If we compare this to the budget 10 years ago, it is 16 times more...” the prime minister was quoted as saying by ANI.
Congress raises questions
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to BJP-led NDA government related to the issues in Jharkhand.
Ramesh claimed that despite being an industrial hub, Jamshedpur faces issues with poor transport connectivity and added that the number of trains running to major cities like Bhagalpur, Bengaluru, and Delhi is insufficient.
“Until 2016, the city had a functional airport, but despite being included in the UDAN scheme in 2018, the plan for a new airport has not materialized. By December 2022, a memorandum of understanding was signed in January 2019 between the Jharkhand government and the Airports Authority of India for the construction of the Dhalbhumgarh airport. This would have provided a significant boost to major players like Tata in the industrial region and MSMEs in Adityapur,” Ramesh wrote.
He further added that when the wasn't completed by the December 2022 deadline, BJP’s own MPs had to raise the issue in Parliament.
"On February 27, 2023, the Union Civil Aviation Minister responded and confirmed that the project had been shelved. After much effort, environmental clearance now seems likely. Why did the central government ignore such a crucial infrastructure project in Jharkhand? What happened to “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”?
Ramesh also said that tribal communities in Jharkhand have been following Sarna faith for a long time.
“They have been demanding official recognition of their distinct religious identity. However, the recent decision to remove the “Other” option from the religion column in the census has created a dilemma for Sarna followers. They must now either choose from the listed religions or leave the column blank,” Ramesh wrote.
He said that the Jharkhand Assembly in 2020 had passed a resolution supporting the demand for the recognition of their unique religious identity, but little has been done at the Central level.
“Today, when the non-biological Prime Minister is in Jharkhand, will he address this issue and clarify his stand on implementing the Sarna Code? Were the promises made by Raghubar Das and Amit Shah just empty rhetoric?” he asked.