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PM Shri Narendra Modi dedicates multiple development projects worth Rs. 2033 crore including Rajkot International Airport

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi:-

• Rajkot International Airport will be a powerhouse energizing Saurashtra-Gujarat
• Today Gujarat is stepping forward toward the direction of manufacturing airplanes
• Ease of living and quality of life is among the top priorities for the government for both neo-middle class and middle class
• Poverty has declined rapidly in the country through measures taken by the Central Government during these 9 years
• 13.50 crore people in the country have been moved out of poverty in 5 years and thus a new middle class has been formed
• The country has been able to control inflation despite situations like the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war

Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel:-

• The state-of-the-art Greenfield airport will connect citizens of Saurashtra and boost business
• Rajkot International Airport will play an important role in making Rajkot-Saurashtra from local to global
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi made efforts to revive the arid land of Saurashtra-Kutch with Narmada water

Gandhinagar, Thursday: Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated Rajkot International Airport and multiple development projects worth Rs 2033 crore in Rajkot today. With this, he was hopeful that, airplanes will also be manufactured in Gujarat in the future, and expressed firm determination to make the country a developed nation through the model of good governance.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi after having landed at the newly constructed International Airport near Hirasar in Rajkot launched various developmental projects from Race Course Ground.

Addressing the gathering, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said, “Rajkot has not only received an international airport built at Hirasar but it has received a powerhouse that will give it a new energy and flight.” The Prime Minister said that Rajkot is recognized as the growth engine of Saurashtra. The Prime Minister said that apart from ease of travel, industries of the region will be hugely benefited from the airport.

Referring to Ease of Living, Quality of Life which has been the utmost priority for the Central Government Prime Minister said that in the last nine years, the Central Government has strived hard to make life easier for every section of the society through good governance. Speaking in detail about the measures taken by the Central Government for public welfare in the last nine years, the Prime Minister said, “The benefits of various government schemes have reached the marginalized families. As a result, poverty in the country has declined rapidly. According to a report, 13.50 crore people in the country have moved out of poverty in the last 5 years. Due to this, a new middle class has been formed.”

In 2014, only four cities had Metro Network, today Metro Network has reached more than 20 cities. Modern trains like Vande Bharat are running on 25 routes; the number of airports has more than doubled from 70 in 2014 during this period. The expansion of air services has given new heights to India’s aviation sector.

Regarding the steps taken by the government to reduce the daily life hassles of the common people through Digital India, the Prime Minister said, “In the past, people had to stand in long queues at hospitals and utility payment centers, insurance and pension-related problems, and had hassles in filing tax returns. The current government has fixed these problems with the Digital India initiative. Banking services are now accessible on mobile. Income tax return filing has become easier and faster.”

Earlier it would take months to get an I.T. refund which is not the case now.

Talking about the importance of housing, the Prime Minister said “We took care of the housing needs of the poor and also fulfilled the dream of the middle-class people of having a house.” Under PM Awas Yojana, more than 6 lakh families in the country and more than 60,000 families in Gujarat have benefitted from this scheme. “Today, the RERA law is preventing lakhs of people from being robbed of their money”, he added. Through RERA Act, the government has made the process of buying a home easier and safer. Inflation is increasing at the rate of 25-30 percent in our neighboring countries. He praised the sensitivity and meticulous efforts of the government to control the inflation rate in India successfully despite situations like the pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war.

He mentioned that previously, the tax was levied on an annual income of Rs 2 lakh, but today those earning up to Rs 7 lakhs have to pay zero tax. Efforts have been made by the government to increase the savings of the middle class through measures including higher interest on small savings.

Referring to the mobile data revolution in the country, the Prime Minister said, “Today, every Indian uses an average of 20 GB of data per month. One had to pay Rs. 300 for 1 GB of data in the year 2014. If the same rates existed today, one would have to pay a bill of around Rs 6000 per month. But today if we use 20 GB data the monthly bill we pay is Rs 300-400. Thus every month the middle class can have savings of more than Rs. 5000.”

Referring to the measures taken by the Central Government for the people including senior citizens, the Prime Minister said, “For an ailing senior citizen, the family had to purchase medicine every month at a very high price from the market. To save their cost, the Central Government started Jan Aushadhi Kendras and made medicines available at cheaper prices. Due to this, the poor and middle-class people can save around Rs. 20 thousand crore. The Prime Minister said that the government is working with full sensitivity for the development of Gujarat and Saurashtra.

He touched upon the change that the SAUNI scheme brought to the water situation of the region. “Dozens of dams and thousands of check dams in Saurashtra have become sources of water today.” Under the Har Ghar Jal Yojana, crores of families in Gujarat are now getting tap water”, he added.

It is a model of good governance that takes into account the needs and aspirations of every section of society and family. He added. This is our way to build a developed India. By walking on this path, we have to achieve the aspirations of Azadi ka Amrit Kaal. At the beginning of his address, he paid tributes to those who suffered losses due to natural calamities.

During the event, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel said that the state-of-the-art Greenfield airport will connect citizens of Saurashtra and boost business. Rajkot International Airport will play an important role in making the Rajkot-Saurashtra region from local to global.

“Be it the ceramic industries of Morbi-, the brass parts industry of Jamnagar, the ship recycling industries of Bhavnagar, or the automobile parts and metal industries of Rajkot, the airport will provide various opportunities for the development of exports and trade industries,” Chief Minister said.

With the launch of a new airport in Rajkot, development works of Rajkot city, and two packages 8 and 9 of Link 3 the Prime Minister has gifted us new development projects across every sphere i.e. air, land, and water.

Hon’ble Prime Minister utilized an engineering marvel to prevent the wastage of Narmada waters which were flowing in the sea by channelizing into the arid land of Saurashtra, Kutch, and North Gujarat to fulfill the water requirements for irrigation and drinking. To fulfill this, he initiated the SAUNI Yojana to ensure the availability of 1 million acre-feet of Narmada water.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “148 new airports have been built across the country to provide affordable air travel to citizens under the UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. There were 56 flights per week and connectivity to 19 cities in 2014. Now, 130 flights per week and connectivity to 50 cities are going to be available in 2023.”

Describing the features of Rajkot International Airport, he said, Rajkot will soon be connected to Udaipur and Indore.

He expressed his commitment to bring through seamless transport. He also added that business creates employment and connectivity creates business.

State Industries and Civil Aviation Minister Shri Balvantsinh Rajput in his welcome address said, “The launch of Rajkot International Airport is a historic moment.”

Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel and MP Shri C.R. Patil welcomed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi by a replica of the aircraft.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani and former Governor Shri Vaju Vala also greeted the Prime Minister.

State Agriculture Minister Shri Raghavji Patel, Water Supply Minister Shri Kunvarji Bavaliya, Women and Child Welfare Minister Smt. Bhanuben Babariya, State Minister for Forest and Environment Shri Mukesh Patel, Former Governor Shri Vaju Vala, Former Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani, Mayor Shri Pradeep Dav, District Panchayat President Shri Bhupat Bodar, MPs, MLAs, and officials were present during the event.

Source: Information Department, Gujarat