CM addresses High Speed Rail Conference organized by Japan

Published By : Admin | February 11, 2013 | 19:27 IST
"Shri Narendra Modi delivers keynote address at 2nd High Speed Rail seminar"
"Shri Modi says seriousness in implementing high-speed rail should reflect in this year’s railway budget"
"Around 15 countries in the world have done major work on HSR and each one of them has evolved a system, technology and financial models in its own way. So after studying each one of them we can learn a lot and eventually develop our own model, which can be sustainable: Shri Modi"

 

On Monday 11th February 2013 Shri Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the second High Speed Rail seminar organized in India by Japan. The seminar was held in Ahmedabad. The Chief Minister pointed out that the seriousness to implement the high-speed rail should reflect in the railway budget and provisions for the same should be there to provide an impetus to the ambitious project.

"In the forthcoming budget of Centre, I expect that some seriousness should reflect on this (HSR)...some provision should be there for HSR in the budget and then things would start connecting” the Chief Minister said. He also opined that in the 21st century high-speed transposition is an integral part of the development process. In his address he also talked about the initiatives taken by the Gujarat Government such as Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar Metro Rail Project, high speed railway till Dholera SIR, Mass Rapid Transport System, Janmarg BRTS and said that for these multipurpose transport projects the Gujarat Government launched MATA (Multi Modal Affordable Transport Authority).

"If the Government of India takes an initiative, Gujarat government shall never be behind. The state will not shy from making its contribution to this prestigious project and shall provide all sort of financial and logistics support to it,” he affirmed.

Shri Modi stated that out of the HSR corridors identified in India, Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Pune was the most economically viable one and in the backdrop of Gujarat's key role in Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), it would be prudent to speed up its implementation.

“Since 1980, HSR has remained confined to thought level only, now it should speed up. We all know that Western Railway (WR) is the most revenue earning region for Indian Railways, and within WR the maximum income comes from Ahmedabad," Mr. Modi told the gathering. On the other hand, Shri Modi affirmed that China and Japan have adopted high-speed railways a lot earlier and at a much quicker pace.

The second seminar on HSR in India was organised by the Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan, in association with Ministry of Railways, Government of Gujarat and CII. Indian Railways had set up a High Speed Rail Corporation of India in July 2012 for the implementation of HSR in India.

"Around 15 countries in the world have done major work on HSR and each one of them has evolved a system, technology and financial models in its own way. So after studying each one of them we can learn a lot and eventually develop our own model, which can be sustainable," Shri Modi said.

Commenting on the strong relationship between Gujarat and Japan the Chief Minister affirmed, " In the last three Vibrant Gujarat Summits, Japan has been an active participant as partner country with Gujarat.”

During the meeting various senior officials of the Road, Building, Industry, Urban Development Departments were present on the occasion.

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PM Modi addressed large public gatherings in Akola & Nanded, Maharashtra, expressing deep gratitude for the people’s steadfast support over the past decade. He opened by highlighting the ambitious infrastructure initiatives launched by his government, including the Vadhavan Port, a nearly 80,000-crore project initiated within the first five months of his government’s third term at Centre and stated that respect, safety, and women’s empowerment have always been priorities for the BJP government.

PM Modi reiterated his government’s commitment to housing for the poor, with three crore new homes in progress, and mentioned about the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card, which provides free healthcare to senior citizens over 70. Mentioning about the government’s recent decision of recognising Marathi as a classical language, he emphasized, “The Congress and the opposition kept the people of Maharashtra waiting for decades, delaying the fulfilment of their demands. We have accomplished what they couldn’t. We are honoured to have granted Marathi the status of a classical language.”

The PM then outlined the Mahayuti’s vision for the next five years, as reflected in its manifesto, including enhanced security and opportunities for women through the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, job creation for youth, and fast-track development projects for Maharashtra’s growth. He stated, “Where there is Mahayuti, dreams of proud youth for education and employment will be fulfilled.” He contrasted this with what he called the Maha-Aghadi’s “scam-filled manifesto,” highlighting alleged corruption, rampant bribery, and misuse of funds, with Congress-led states like Karnataka and Telangana as examples, calling them “ATMs” for the Congress “royal family.” He warned Maharashtra to remain vigilant, saying, “We will not let Maharashtra become an ATM for the Maha-Aghadi's mega scandals.”

“Maha-Aghadi means corruption, Maha-Aghadi means scams worth thousands of crores, Maha-Aghadi means extortion of money, Maha-Aghadi means token money, Maha-Aghadi means a business of transfers and postings,” he added.

The PM acknowledged Akola’s key role in cotton production, a backbone of the textile industry, and noted that cotton farmers, long denied adequate benefits, are now seeing positive changes as support for industry and infrastructure grows. In this context, he also spoke about the inauguration of a textile park in Maharashtra, envisioning greater prosperity for cotton farmers. He also criticized past Congress-led governments for their failure to address farmer needs, particularly water issues. Now, the Mahayuti government is revitalizing irrigation projects and has approved a major river-linking initiative to alleviate water scarcity across regions, benefiting districts like Amravati, Akola, and Nagpur. Through the PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Maharashtra’s micro-irrigation coverage has expanded, promoting water efficiency. PM Modi affirmed, “Our goal is an empowered farmer driving the nation’s progress.” Initiatives like PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi and crop insurance are boosting farmer incomes, with additional support for cotton and soybean farmers.

The PM also criticised the Congress party for its attempts to weaken the country. “Congress Party knows that the weaker the country, the stronger Congress will be. That’s why it is their nature to divide people based on caste. Since independence, Congress has never allowed the SC community to unite. They’ve fragmented the ST community into various castes, and they’ve never let the OBC community develop a unified identity,” he remarked.

In his speech, PM Modi also condemned Congress for its historical disrespect towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He noted that, from Nehru’s era to the present day, Congress has repeatedly denied Dr. Ambedkar credit for his contributions to major national projects, like dams and river projects, as well as for his role as India’s first Law Minister. Despite Baba Saheb’s transformative contributions, Congress sidelined him as he belonged to a Dalit family. PM Modi reassured the BJP’s commitment to honouring Ambedkar by establishing Panchteerth memorials at key sites associated with his legacy—Mhow, Nagpur, Mumbai, Delhi, and London—to inspire future generations. He affirmed his stance, “Ek Hain to Safe Hain!”

The PM also reproached Congress’ support for reinstating Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, aligning it with the views of separatists, terrorists, and Pakistan. He warned that restoring Article 370 would reintroduce violence, strip Dalits of constitutional rights, and regress Kashmir by decades. He stated, “Congress is attempting to take away rights from Kashmir’s Dalits and backward communities, while hypocritically seeking votes from Dalits in Maharashtra.”

PM Modi urged the audience to “Choose development, choose peace, and choose security” and called on them to help realize the vision of a Viksit Maharashtra and a Viksit Bharat.

During his second rally of the day in Nanded, Maharashtra, PM Modi initiated by reassuring the audience by providing examples of various schemes initiated by the BJP for the benefit of women, “Over the past 10 years, the majority of our initiatives have been centred around women. Whether it is providing homes under the PM Awas Yojana, constructing new toilets, ensuring electricity and water supply for the first time, or facilitating cooking with gas cylinders, women are the primary beneficiaries.” He added that the government is also focused on the economic empowerment of women, highlighting how village women have been earning significantly as 'Drone Didis,' to make 3 crore women 'Lakhpati Didis.' The PM further assured the women of Maharashtra that the government would continue to prioritize their welfare.

In a pointed critique of Congress, PM Modi observed that while the BJP is dedicated to empowering women, Congress has consistently been involved in scandals and has now overstepped all limits. “They distributed a red book titled 'Constitution of India,' which, upon inspection, was found to be empty—demonstrating their disregard for Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. This act reflects their mindset from the Emergency era,” he remarked.

PM Modi further exposed Congress’ reality for their aversion to the unity of SC, ST, and OBC communities. “Congress aims to fragment large OBC groups into smaller castes for political gain, intending to pit communities against each other, thereby diminishing their power and potentially taking away their rights,” he added.

Recalling the tactics of past Congress leaders, PM Modi said, “From Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, Congress used similar strategies, and now their current leadership follows the same approach. We must always remember: ‘Ek Rahenge Toh Safe Rahenge!’”

In his concluding statement, PM Modi declared, “A Viksit Bharat is only possible when Maharashtra progresses and every family in Maharashtra prosper. He encouraged the audience to vote for a developed, united and secured Maharashtra.