Srinagar hosted a momentous gathering under the banner of the Viksit Bharat Ambassador or VBA 2024. Held at the prestigious Radisson Collection, the event served as a unique platform, bringing together diverse voices and perspectives to foster the nation's collective advancement towards development.

Graced by the esteemed presence of Union Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri as the Chief Guest, the event saw the attendance of over 400 distinguished members of society, representing influencers, industry stalwarts, environmentalists, and young minds, including first-time voters. Presidents of Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Kashmir Industrial Corporation, House Boat Owners Association, and members of the writers' association were also present.

The VBA 2024 meetup began with an interesting panel discussion on Viksit Kashmir, which focused on the symbiotic relationship between industry growth and sustainable development. This was followed by an interactive session by Minister Puri, who engaged with the attendees through an engaging presentation. Another event highlight was the live doodle capture by a local artist of the discussions.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri discussed how India has changed in the last decade. He said India is on track to become one of the world's top three economies, surpassing Germany and Japan soon.

 

"The country is set to surpass Germany and Japan and will become the world's third-largest economy by 2027-28," he said.

 

According to official estimates, India's economy is projected to reach a remarkable $40 trillion by 2040. Presently, the economy stands at approximately $3.5 trillion.

He also stressed that India's progress is incomplete without a developed Kashmir.

 

"Bharat cannot be Viksit without a Viksit Kashmir," he said.

Hardeep Puri reflected on India's economic journey, noting that in the 1700s, India contributed a significant 25% to the global GDP. However, as experts documented, this figure gradually dwindled to a mere 2% by 1947.

 

He highlighted how India, once renowned as the 'sone ki chidiya' (golden bird), lost its economic strength during British colonial rule and continued to struggle even after gaining independence, remaining categorized under the 'Fragile Five' until 2014.

 

Puri emphasized that the true shift in India's economic trajectory commenced under the Modi government. Over the past decade, the nation has ascended from among the top 11 economies to ranking among the top 5 globally.

The Union Minister also encouraged everyone to participate in the Viksit Bharat 2047 mission, emphasizing that achieving this dream requires the active engagement and coordination of all "ambassadors" of change.

He highlighted India's rapid progress in metro network development, stating that the operational metro network spans approximately 950 kilometres. He expressed confidence that within the next 2-3 years, India's metro network will expand to become the second-largest globally, surpassing that of the United States.

 

Regarding Jammu and Kashmir, he mentioned that through the Smart project, over 68 projects totalling Rs 6,800 crores were conceptualized, with Rs 3,200 crores worth of projects already completed.

 

He further stated that Jammu and Kashmir possesses more potential than Switzerland but has faced setbacks due to man-made crises. He emphasized the Modi government's dedication to the comprehensive development of the region.

The minister highlighted a significant government policy shift from women-centred to women-led development. Drawing from his extensive experience as a diplomat spanning 39 years, he shared that when a country transitions to women-led development, there is typically a substantial GDP increase of 20-30%. 

He mentioned that the government is actively pursuing this objective, citing examples such as the Awas Yojana, where houses are registered in the names of women household members, and the implementation of 33% reservation for women in elected bodies as part of this broader mission. 

He also provided insight into the transformative impact of the Modi government's welfare policies on people's lives. He highlighted the Ujjwala Yojana, noting that 32 crore individuals have received LPG cylinders, a significant increase from the 14 crore connections in 2014. Additionally, he mentioned the expansion of the gas pipeline network, which has grown from 14,000 km to over 20,000 km over the past ten years.

The Vision of Viksit Bharat: 140 crore dreams, 1 purpose 

The Viksit Bharat Ambassador movement aims to encourage citizens to take responsibility for contributing to India's development. VBA meet-ups and events are being organized in various parts of the country to achieve this goal. These events provide a platform for participants to engage in constructive discussions, exchange ideas, and explore practical strategies for contributing to the movement.

Join the movement on the NaMo App: https://www.narendramodi.in/ViksitBharatAmbassador

The NaMo App: Bridging the Gap

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's app, the NaMo App, is a digital bridge that empowers citizens to participate in the Viksit Bharat Ambassador movement. The NaMo App serves as a one-stop platform for individuals to:

Join the cause: Sign up and become a Viksit Bharat Ambassador and make 10 other people

Amplify Development Stories: Access updates, news, and resources related to the movement.

Create/Join Events: Create and discover local events, meet-ups, and volunteer opportunities.

Connect/Network: Find and interact with like-minded individuals who share the vision of a developed India.

The 'VBA Event' section in the 'Onground Tasks' tab of the 'Volunteer Module' of the NaMo App allows users to stay updated with the ongoing VBA events.

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Cabinet approves three new corridors as part of Delhi Metro’s Phase V (A) Project
December 24, 2025

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved three new corridors - 1. R.K Ashram Marg to Indraprastha (9.913 Kms), 2. Aerocity to IGD Airport T-1 (2.263 kms) 3. Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj (3.9 kms) as part of Delhi Metro’s Phase – V(A) project consisting of 16.076 kms which will further enhance connectivity within the national capital. Total project cost of Delhi Metro’s Phase – V(A) project is Rs.12014.91 crore, which will be sourced from Government of India, Government of Delhi, and international funding agencies.

The Central Vista corridor will provide connectivity to all the Kartavya Bhawans thereby providing door step connectivity to the office goers and visitors in this area. With this connectivity around 60,000 office goers and 2 lakh visitors will get benefitted on daily basis. These corridors will further reduce pollution and usage of fossil fuels enhancing ease of living.

Details:

The RK Ashram Marg – Indraprastha section will be an extension of the Botanical Garden-R.K. Ashram Marg corridor. It will provide Metro connectivity to the Central Vista area, which is currently under redevelopment. The Aerocity – IGD Airport Terminal 1 and Tughlakabad – Kalindi Kunj sections will be an extension of the Aerocity-Tughlakabad corridor and will boost connectivity of the airport with the southern parts of the national capital in areas such as Tughlakabad, Saket, Kalindi Kunj etc. These extensions will comprise of 13 stations. Out of these 10 stations will be underground and 03 stations will be elevated.

After completion, the corridor-1 namely R.K Ashram Marg to Indraprastha (9.913 Kms), will improve the connectivity of West, North and old Delhi with Central Delhi and the other two corridors namely Aerocity to IGD Airport T-1 (2.263 kms) and Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj (3.9 kms) corridors will connect south Delhi with the domestic Airport Terminal-1 via Saket, Chattarpur etc which will tremendously boost connectivity within National Capital.

These metro extensions of the Phase – V (A) project will expand the reach of Delhi Metro network in Central Delhi and Domestic Airport thereby further boosting the economy. These extensions of the Magenta Line and Golden Line will reduce congestion on the roads; thus, will help in reducing the pollution caused by motor vehicles.

The stations, which shall come up on the RK Ashram Marg - Indraprastha section are: R.K Ashram Marg, Shivaji Stadium, Central Secretariat, Kartavya Bhawan, India Gate, War Memorial - High Court, Baroda House, Bharat Mandapam, and Indraprastha.

The stations on the Tughlakabad – Kalindi Kunj section will be Sarita Vihar Depot, Madanpur Khadar, and Kalindi Kunj, while the Aerocity station will be connected further with the IGD T-1 station.

Construction of Phase-IV consisting of 111 km and 83 stations are underway, and as of today, about 80.43% of civil construction of Phase-IV (3 Priority) corridors has been completed. The Phase-IV (3 Priority) corridors are likely to be completed in stages by December 2026.

Today, the Delhi Metro caters to an average of 65 lakh passenger journeys per day. The maximum passenger journey recorded so far is 81.87 lakh on August 08, 2025. Delhi Metro has become the lifeline of the city by setting the epitome of excellence in the core parameters of MRTS, i.e. punctuality, reliability, and safety.

A total of 12 metro lines of about 395 km with 289 stations are being operated by DMRC in Delhi and NCR at present. Today, Delhi Metro has the largest Metro network in India and is also one of the largest Metros in the world.