Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday unveiled multiple development projects worth around Rs 5,650 crore in Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and said his government's goal "is to create a developed Tamil Nadu for a developed nation".
PM Modi said the projects will boost energy access, connectivity and create thousands of jobs for the youth of Tamil Nadu.
"Today, we are inaugurating rural roads that span 370 km. This work has been done under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Each of these roads isn't only a piece of physical infrastructure. Patients can access better healthcare, students can travel to schools and colleges comfortably, and farmers can travel to different places to sell produce or buy inputs. Overall, each road lifts the rural economy and increases ease of living," he said.
"Just last week, from Madurai, we inaugurated 8 modernised and redeveloped stations under the Amrit Bharat programme. Today, several train services are being flagged off. They connect Nagercoil, Rameshwaram....with other regions. These new train services will increase tourism, boost the local economy and create many jobs for the youth. Our goal is to create a developed Tamil Nadu for a developed nation," he added.
The Prime Minister said the programme is important for the future of Tamil Nadu and is related to projects worth Rs 5600 crore.
"These projects are about infrastructure, for clean energy, petroleum-related manufacturing, highways, railways and rural roads. They will boost energy access, connectivity and create thousands of jobs for the youth of Tamil Nadu," he said.
"I'm happy that the foundation stone for Bharat Petroleum City Gas Distribution is being laid. An investment of about Rs 3700 crore is being made. This network covers the Nilgiris and Erode districts of Tamil Nadu. It will provide piped natural gas to nearly nine lakh families and hundreds of commercial organisations. Piped gas will flow directly to the home, boosting ease of leaving. Thousands of jobs will be created directly and indirectly," he added.
The Prime Minister said that natural gas is an environmentally friendly fuel that plays an important role in reducing air pollution.
The projects unveiled by the Prime Minister cover key sectors including petroleum and natural gas infrastructure, lubricants manufacturing, rural connectivity, highway development and railway services.
In the petroleum sector, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited's City Gas Distribution Network in The Nilgiris and Erode districts at an investment of more than Rs 3,680 crore. The project will provide PNG connections to over 8.8 lakh households, supply gas to more than 200 commercial establishments and establish over 201 CNG stations
Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the 672 thousand Metric Tonnes Per Annum Lube Blending Plant of Indian Oil Corporation at Manali in Chennai. Developed at an investment of about Rs 1,490 crore, the plant will strengthen India's lubricants manufacturing capacity.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the Prime Minister inaugurated 89 rural roads spanning 370 km in Tamil Nadu, which will significantly improve connectivity to markets, schools and healthcare facilities in rural areas.
He laid the foundation stone for greenfield bypass near Gangaikonda Cholapuram on NH-81.
Tamil Nadu wil face assembly election in the first half of this year.