PM Modi dedicates multiple development projects, address public meeting in Varanasi

Published By : Admin | September 22, 2017 | 15:56 IST
PM Modi inaugurates Deendayal Hastkala Sankul – a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts in Varanasi
PM Modi flags off Varanasi-Vadodra Mahamana Express, lays foundation stone for several development projects
Trade facilitation centre would result in increased demand of handicrafts, and also boost the tourism potential of Varanasi: PM
Solution to all problems is through development, Government is focused on bringing about positive change in the lives of the poor: PM
India is progressing rapidly today, and firm decisions are being taken in the interest of the nation: PM Modi

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today dedicated to the nation, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul – a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts – at Varanasi. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of this Centre in November 2014. Today, he visited the Centre, and was given an overview of the facilities developed there, before arriving on the dais for the dedication.

Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the Mahamana Express through a video link. This train will connect Varanasi with Surat and Vadodara in Gujarat.

The Prime Minister also unveiled plaques to mark the laying of Foundation Stone and dedication of various development works in the city. He inaugurated banking services of the Utkarsh Bank, and unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone of the headquarters building of the Bank.

The Prime Minister dedicated a Jal Ambulance service, and a Jal Shav Vahan service to the people of Varanasi, through a video link. He distributed tool-kits and solar lamps to weavers and their children.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that in one programme from one dais, projects worth over 1000 crore have been either dedicated, or their foundation stone laid.

He described the Trade Facilitation Centre as one of the biggest projects for Varanasi for a long time. He said this Centre would help the artisans and weavers showcase their skills to the world, and facilitate a brighter future for them. He asked the people to encourage all tourists to visit this Centre. He said this would result in increased demand of handicrafts, and also boost the tourism potential of Varanasi, and indeed the economy of the city.

The Prime Minister said the solution to all problems is through development. He said the Government is focused on bringing about positive change in the lives of the poor and of succeeding generations. In this context, he praised the efforts of Utkarsh Bank.

 

Referring to the Jal Ambulance and Jal Shav Vahini launched today, the Prime Minister said that these represent the drive for development even through water-ways. 

In the context of the Mahamana Express, the Prime Minister observed that Vadodara and Varanasi, which happen to be the two constituencies from which he contested the 2014 Parliamentary elections, are now connected via railway. 

The Prime Minister said the country is progressing rapidly today, and firm decisions are being taken in the interest of the nation. He said eastern India must match the progress of the western part of the country, and the projects being launched today would go a long way in achieving this objective.

 

 

 

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My greetings to all young friends!

The beginning of the year 2026 is marking the start of new joys in your lives. Along with this, as Vasant Panchami passed just yesterday, a new spring is beginning in your lives as well. This time is also connecting you with your duties towards the Constitution. Coincidentally, the grand festival of the Republic is currently underway in the country. Yesterday, on January 23rd, we celebrated Parakram Diwas on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash, and now tomorrow, January 25th, is National Voters' Day, followed by Republic Day on January 26th. Today is also a special day. It was on this very day that our Constitution adopted ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the National Anthem and ‘Vande Mataram’ as the National Song. On this significant day today, more than sixty-one thousand youngsters are making a new beginning in life.

Today, you all are receiving appointment letters for government services; in a way, this is an Invitation Letter for Nation Building. This is a resolution letter to give momentum to the construction of a Developed India. Many among you will strengthen the security of the country, many will further empower our education and healthcare ecosystem, many friends will strengthen financial services and energy security, while many youth will play an important role in the growth of our government companies. I give many congratulations and best wishes to all of you youth.

​Friends,

​Connecting youth with skills and providing them opportunities for employment and self-employment has been the priority of our government. To ensure that government recruitment is also done in mission mode, the Rozgar Mela was started. In the past years, the Rozgar Mela has become an institution. Through this, lakhs of youth have received appointment letters in different departments of the government. Extending this mission further, today this Rozgar Mela is being held at more than forty locations in the country. I especially welcome the youth present at all these locations.

​Friends,

​Today, India is one of the youngest countries in the world. It is the continuous effort of our government that new opportunities are created for India’s youth power within the country and across the world. Today, the Government of India is signing trade and mobility agreements with many countries. These trade agreements are bringing numerous new opportunities for the youth of India.

​Friends,

​In the past time, India has made unprecedented investments for modern infrastructure. Because of this, employment has increased significantly in every sector related to construction. The scope of India’s start-up ecosystem is also advancing at a fast pace. Today, there are about two lakh registered start-ups in the country. More than twenty-one lakh youth are working in these. Similarly, Digital India has expanded a new economy. In many fields such as animation and digital media, India is becoming a global hub. India’s creator economy is growing at a very fast pace, and in this too, youth are getting new opportunities.

​My young friends,

​The way the world’s trust in India is increasing today is also creating many new possibilities for the youth. India is the only large economy in the world that has doubled its GDP in a decade. Today, more than a hundred countries are investing in India through FDI. Compared to the ten years before 2014, more than two and a half times the FDI has come into India. More foreign investment means countless opportunities for employment for the youth of India.

​Friends,

​Today, India is becoming a big manufacturing power. In many sectors such as electronics, medicines and vaccines, defense, and auto, there is an unprecedented increase in both India’s production and exports. Since 2014, there has been a six-fold increase in India’s electronics manufacturing, six-fold. Today, this is an industry of more than 11 lakh crore rupees. Our electronics export has also crossed four lakh crore rupees. India’s auto industry has also become one of the fastest-growing sectors. In the year 2025, the sale of two-wheelers has reached beyond two crores. This shows that the purchasing power of the people of the country has increased; they have received many benefits from the reduction in Income Tax and GST; there are many such examples which indicate that employment is being created in large numbers in the country.

​Friends,

​In today's event, more than 8 thousand daughters have also received appointment letters. In the past 11 years, there has been nearly a two-fold increase in women's participation in the country's workforce. Our daughters have benefited greatly from the government's schemes like Mudra and Start-up India. There has been an increase of about 15 percent in the rate of women's self-employment. If I talk about start-ups and MSMEs, today there is a very large number of women directors and women founders. In our cooperative sector, and the self-help groups working in villages, women are leading in very large numbers.

​Friends,

​Today the country has set out on the Reform Express. Its objective is to make both life and business easy in the country. Everyone has benefited from the next-generation reforms in GST. Through this, our young entrepreneurs are benefiting, and our MSMEs are benefiting. Recently, the country has implemented historic labor reforms. Through this, laborers, employees, and businesses will all benefit. The new labor codes have further strengthened the scope of social security for laborers and employees.

​Friends,

​Today, when the Reform Express is being discussed everywhere, I want to assign a task to you as well regarding this subject. Recall, in the last five-seven years, when and in what form have you had contact with the government? Whether you had work in some government office, or interacted through some other medium and you faced trouble, felt some deficiency, or felt some irritation - just remember such things. Now you have to decide that those things which troubled you, sometimes troubled your parents, sometimes troubled your friends, and what used to pinch you, feel bad, or make you angry - now you will not let those difficulties happen to other citizens during your own tenure. Being a part of the government, you too will have to carry out small reforms at your level. You have to move forward with this approach so that the maximum number of people are benefited.

The work of strengthening Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business happens as much through policy as it does through the intention of the government employee working at the local level. You must remember one more thing. In this era of rapidly changing technology, the needs and priorities of the country are also changing rapidly. You also have to keep upgrading yourself along with this fast change. You must definitely make good use of platforms like iGOT Karmayogi. I am happy that in such a short time, about one and a half crore government employees are training and empowering themselves anew by joining this iGOT platform.

​Friends,

​Whether it is the Prime Minister or a small servant of the government, we are all servants and we all have one common mantra; in that, no one is above, nor is anyone to the right or left, and for all of us, for me as well as for you, which is that mantra - "Nagrik Devo Bhava" (The Citizen is God). We have to work with the mantra of "Nagrik Devo Bhava"; you also keep doing so. Once again, this new spring that has come into your life, this new era of life is beginning, and it is through you that a developed India is going to be built in 2047. Many best wishes to you from my side. Thank you very much.