India has become center point to world’s desires, says PM Modi

Addressing a meeting after launching several infrastructure development projects here, the Prime Minister said PM Gati Shakti has not only speeded up infrastructure development but also helped cut costs.

Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has observed that at a time when several countries were going through difficulties, with some of them thrown into crisis and faced shortage of essential commodities, India was marching ahead in development, making the world look up and take notice.

Addressing a mammoth public meeting attended by an estimated two lakh people at the Andhra University College of Engineering grounds here on Saturday morning after launching developmental projects worth over Rs.10,740 crore, he said that it was because India was reaching new heights after overcoming many challenges through ideas and thought processes.

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“We are aiming at comprehensive development through developing infrastructure to usher in a new India. We are ahead in development of railways, roads and ports in multi-development mode. Now every policy in India is aimed at raising the standard of living of the common people,” he said, and added that free rice was being supplied to the poor for the past two and a half years and the farmers given Rs.6,000.

Recalling that he had visited Andhra Pradesh a few months ago to participate in the birth anniversary of the revolutionary leader Alluri Sitarama Raju, Modi commended the people of Andhra Pradesh who were friendly and had proved their mettle in medical, trade and technology areas and earned laurels world-wide. Visakhapatnam city was special as it had trade ties with West Asia and up to Rome one thousand years ago and even today the port was a major hub for international trade, he observed.

“Today is a memorable day for Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh with projects worth over Rs.10,000 crore dedicated to the nation. We are redeveloping the Visakhapatnam railway station as well as modernising the fishing harbour in the city. The projects today would help the development of Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh,” he pointed out.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for five projects on the day — renovation of Visakhapatnam railway station at a cost of Rs.460 crore, construction works of the six-lane Visakhapatnam-Raipur greenfield economic corridor with Rs.3,778 crore, improvement of port road between Sheela Nagar and Convent Junction in the city at a cost of Rs.566 crore, upgradation and modernisation of Visakhapatnam fishing harbour with Rs.152 crore and the 745 km.

GAIL natural gas pipeline project from Srikakulam to Angul worth Rs.2,658 crore.Besides, he inaugurated and dedicated to the nation the projects of upgradation of Pathapatnam-Narasannapeta road on the National Highway laid at a cost of Rs.211 crore and the ONGC U field Onshore facilities of Krishna-Godavari Deep water block project of Rs. 2,917 crore.

Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy urged the Prime Minister to help Andhra Pradesh recover from the bifurcation wounds it suffered eight years ago, Andhra Pradesh accorded priority for welfare and development and achieved progress in health, education, agriculture, social justice, women’s welfare, and governance to the doorstep. “We are governing through decentralisation and transparency. We are trying to sustain development. Our relations with the Centre is above politics. Development of the state is our only agenda, and we will have no other agenda,” he stated.

Union Minister for Railways, Communication, Electronics and Information Ashwin Vaishnaw, in his address noted that India was going through a phenomenal transition under Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had inspired creation of world class facilities. Vande Bharat express was one such facility and Andhra Pradesh would also get a Vande Bharat express shortly, he said.He also stated that while Andhra Pradesh got only Rs.886 crore before 2014 in the combined state, today the Prime Minister had allocated Rs.7,042 to AP alone.

AP Governor Biswabhushan Harichandran was present.