Shri Piyush Goyal ji, Dr. L. Murugan ji , Shri Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Shri Nainar Nagendran, Sri Thangam Tennarasu, My Tamil brothers and sisters, Vanakkam!
Friends,
It gives me great pleasure to be here in this wonderful city of Tiruchi.
Today’s programme is an important one for the future of Tamil Nadu. It is related to projects worth five thousand six hundred crore rupees. 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.
Friends,
I am happy that the foundation stone of Bharat Petroleum’s City Gas Distribution network is being laid. An investment of about three thousand seven hundred crore rupees is being made. This network covers 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 homes, boosting ease of living. Thousands of jobs will be created directly and indirectly. Natural gas is an environment-friendly fuel that plays an important role in reducing air pollution. I am told that the positive environmental impact of this project over just eight years will be similar to the planting of four crore trees!
Friends,
Today, Indian Oil Corporation’s Lube Blending Plant in Chennai is being dedicated to the nation. You would be proud to know that this is one of the world’s largest facilities of its kind. This plant fulfills the demand of many important industries both in Tamil Nadu and outside. The increase in local production of lubricants also reduces imports and saves money for the nation.
Friends,
Today, we are inaugurating rural roads that span three hundred and seventy kilometres. This work has been done under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Each of these roads is not just a piece of physical infrastructure. Patients can access better healthcare. Students can travel to schools and colleges comfortably. Farmers can travel to different places to sell produce or to buy inputs. Overall, each road lifts the rural economy and increases Ease of Living.
Friends,
Last year, I was happy to be at Gangaikonda Cholapuram for the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival. We celebrated a thousand years of the beginning of the construction of the grand temple by Emperor Rajendra Chola. It is a UNESCO recognised site that attracts tourists from across the world. Today, we are laying the foundation stone of an important highway project there. The existing highway passes very close to the temple, causing safety concerns to the pilgrims and tourists. With the construction of a new bypass, other vehicles will now be diverted away from the temple. This means better safety for everyone.
Friends,
Just last week, from Madurai, we inaugurated eight modernised and redeveloped stations under the Amrit Bharat programme. Today, several new train services are being flagged off. They connect places like Nagercoil, Coimbatore, Rameswaram, Tirunelveli, Mayiladuthurai, Karaikkudi 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 India. The Central government is fully committed to the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu. We are working day and night for the state’s progress and we will continue to do so.
Nandri
