Durgapur (West Bengal) [India], July 18 : Reiterating his government's vision of a developed India by the year 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the people of West Bengal as he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects in Durgapur.
Addressing a public gathering, the Prime Minister said, "Today, factories in Durgapur and Raghunathpur are being equipped with new technology. An investment of Rs 1500 crore has been made in these... I congratulate the people of West Bengal on the completion of these projects.... We are working with the resolve of making 'Viksit Bharat by 2047'... We aim to make India developed by 2047."
Emphasising the government's strategy for achieving this goal, the Prime Minister asserted, "Our path is- Empowerment through development, Self-reliance through employment, Good governance through sensitivity."
Noting that the steel city of Durgapur has played a significant role in India's development, Prime Minister Modi said that the projects inaugurated will further strengthen Durgapur's identity and help West Bengal move forward with the mantra of 'Make in India, Make for the World'.
"Our Durgapur, besides being a steel city, is also a major centre of the labour force of India. Durgapur plays a significant role in India's development. Today, we have got the opportunity to further strengthen this role; some time ago, projects worth Rs 5400 crore have been inaugurated here; all these projects will strengthen the connectivity here; gas-based transport will strengthen the economy here," he said.
"Today's projects will further strengthen the identity of this steel city, and the projects will help West Bengal move ahead with the mantra of 'Make in India, Make for the World'. This will also create employment opportunities for the youth here. I congratulate all of you for this," he added.
PM Modi underscored the country's rapid infrastructure development -- across social, physical, and digital sectors -- saying every state, including West Bengal, is reaping the benefit.
"The whole world is discussing the resolution of a Viksit Bharat, and the reason behind this is the changes visible in India. A major aspect of these changes is India's infrastructure. When we discuss infrastructure, it encompasses all types of infrastructure, including social, physical, and digital. More than 4 crore Pucca houses, crores of toilets, tap water connections worth Rs 4 crore, new roads of 1000 kilometres, new highways, new rail lines, airports, all are being built. The Internet has reached to every village of the country," he said.
The Prime Minister noted significant improvements in railway infrastructure in West Bengal, including Vande Bharat trains, Kolkata metro expansion, new rail lines, and modernised stations.
"Each state, including West Bengal, is getting the benefit of such modern infrastructure. Work has been extensively done on train connectivity in Bengal. West Bengal is one of the states in the country where a large number of Vande Bharat trains operate, the Kolkata metro is expanding rapidly, new rail lines are being built, and many railway stations are being modernised. Apart from this, a large number of railway overbridges are also being constructed. Today, Bengal has received two more railway overbridges. All this work will help in making the life of the people of Bengal easy," he said.
PM Modi also spoke about improved air connectivity under the UDAN scheme. "The airports here have also been linked with the Udaan Yojana. In the last 1 year, more than 5 lakh passengers have travelled through it. When such infrastructure is built, not only are modern facilities available, but young people also get employment opportunities. A large number of people are getting employment in making the raw materials that are being used to complete these projects," the PM added.
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects catering to the Oil and Gas, Power, Road and Rail sectors in West Bengal's Durgapur.