Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various developmental projects worth more than Rs 16,800 crore in Deoghar, Jharkhand, according to an official statement.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister said these projects are going to give a huge impetus to Jharkhand’s modern connectivity, energy, health, faith and tourism.
He further said that the country has been working with the thinking of development of the nation by the development of the states for the last eight years. “In the last eight years, in the efforts to connect Jharkhand by highways, railways, airways, waterways, in every way, the same thinking and spirit have been paramount. All these facilities will positively impact the economic development of the state,” Modi said.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that “with the blessings of Baba Baidyanath, projects worth more than Rs 16,000 crore have been inaugurated and the foundation stone has been laid today”.
Governor Jharkhand Ramesh Bais, state Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, State ministers and people’s representatives were among those present on the occasion.
Jharkhand is getting its second airport, Modi said, adding this will lead to tremendous ease for devotees of Baba Baidyanath. In the context of making air travel affordable for the common man through the UDAN scheme, the Prime Minister noted that today the benefits of the efforts of the government are visible across the country.
About 70 new locations have been added through airports, heliports and water aerodromes in the last 5-6 years under the UDAN scheme. “Today, ordinary citizens are getting the facility of air travel on more than 400 new routes. More than 1 crore people have experienced very affordable air travel, many for the first time,” he said.
The Prime Minister expressed happiness that the flight from Deoghar to Kolkata started today and flights for Ranchi, Delhi and Patna will start soon. Work is on for airports in Bokaro and Dumka, he said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the benefits of the country’s effort to enhance the gas-based economy for the state of Jharkhand. He said that PM Urja Ganga Yojana is changing the old picture. “We are taking many historic decisions for converting deprivation into opportunities”, he said.
The Bokaro- Angul section of Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra pipeline of GAIL will expand the city gas distribution network in 11 districts of Jharkhand and Odisha.
Referring to the spread of modern facilities beyond big cities, the Prime Minister said that these projects are proof that when steps are taken for improving ease of life for common citizens, then national assets are created and new opportunities of national development emerge. “This is the right development and we have to collectively accelerate this development”, he said.
As a key step to provide direct connectivity to Baba Baidyanath Dham, which is an important religious destination for devotees from all over the country, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Deoghar Airport. It has been constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 400 crore. The Terminal Building of the airport is equipped to handle over five lakhs passengers annually.
