Jai Jagannath!

Governor of Odisha Shri Ganeshi Lal ji, Chief Minister & my friend Shri Naveen Patnaik ji, my cabinet colleagues Ashwini Vaishnaw ji, Dharmendra Pradhan ji, Bishweswar Tudu ji, all other dignitaries, and all my brothers and sisters from West Bengal and Odisha!

Today the people of Odisha and West Bengal are receiving the gift of Vande Bharat train. The Vande Bharat train is turning into a symbol of a modern India as well as an aspirational Indian. Today, when Vande Bharat travels from one place to another, it reflects both the speed and progress of India.

Now this speed and progress of Vande Bharat is going to knock at the doors of Bengal and Odisha. This will not only change the experience of rail travel but also give a new meaning to development. Now whether someone travels from Kolkata to Puri for darshan, or from Puri to Kolkata for some work, this journey will take only 6.5 hours. This will save time; help expand trade and business and create new opportunities for the youth. I congratulate the people of Odisha and West Bengal for the same.

Friends,

Whenever someone has to travel far with his family, rail is his first choice and priority. Today, several other major works have been done for the rail development of Odisha, be it laying the foundation stone for modernization of Puri and Cuttack railway stations, doubling of railway lines, or achieving 100% electrification of railway lines in Odisha. I congratulate the people of Odisha for all these projects.

Friends,

This is the 'Azaadi Ka Amritkaal'. This is the time to further strengthen India's unity. The greater the unity, the stronger will be the collective strength of India. These Vande Bharat trains are a reflection of this spirit as well. In this 'Amritkaal', Vande Bharat trains are not only becoming the engine of development, but are also taking forward the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'.

Indian Railways connect everyone and weave them in one thread. Vande Bharat trains too will carry this trend forward. This Vande Bharat will further strengthen the spiritual and cultural ties between Howrah and Puri, between Bengal and Odisha. Today, about 15 such Vande Bharat trains are running in different states of the country. These modern trains are also giving a boost to the country's economy.

Friends,

Over the years, India has maintained its momentum of growth even during the most difficult global conditions. There is a major reason behind this. And that is, every state participates in this development journey, and the country is moving forward taking every state along with it. There was a time when any new technology or a new facility that would be introduced remained confined to Delhi or some major cities only. But today's India is moving ahead leaving behind this old thinking.

Today's new India is not only creating new technologies all by itself but is also rapidly taking the new facilities to every nook and corner of the country. India has built Vande Bharat trains on its own. Today, India is developing 5G technology on its own and is taking it to far-flung areas of the country.

India had also surprised the world by developing an indigenous vaccine for a pandemic like Corona. And the common thing in all these efforts is that all these facilities were not limited to just one city or one state. These facilities reached everyone and reached quickly. Our Vande Bharat trains are also now touching every corner of the country from north to south, and east to west.

Brothers & Sisters,

The maximum benefit of this policy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' has been reaped by those states of the country who were earlier left behind in the race for development. In the last 8-9 years, there has been a substantial increase in the budget for rail projects in Odisha. In the first 10 years before 2014, on an average only around 20 kilometres of rail lines were laid here every year; while in the year 2022-23 i.e. in just one year, around 120 kilometres of new rail lines have been laid here.

In the 10 years before 2014, doubling of rail lines in Odisha was less than 20 km. Last year this figure has also increased to around 300 kms. People of Odisha are aware of the fact that about 300 km long Khurdha-Bolangir project was pending for several years. Today the work on this project is also going on at a rapid pace. Be it the new 'Haridaspur-Paradip' railway line, or doubling and electrification of Titlagarh-Raipur line, all these projects for which the people of Odisha had been waiting for years are now being completed.

Today, Odisha is among those states of the country, where 100 percent electrification of rail network has been done. In West Bengal too, work is going on rapidly for 100 percent electrification. Consequently, the speed of trains has increased and the time taken by the freight trains has also been reduced. A state like Odisha, which is such a huge reservoir of mineral wealth, will benefit even more from the electrification of railways. As a result of this, besides accelerating industrial development there will also be freedom from pollution caused by diesel.

Friends,

There is another aspect of building infrastructure which is usually not talked about much. Infrastructure not only makes life easier for the people, but it also empowers the society. Where there is lack of infrastructure, the development of the people also lags behind. Where there is development of infrastructure, there is also rapid development of people.

You also are aware that under the PM Saubhagya Yojana, the Government of India has given free electricity connections to more than 2.5 crore households. It also includes about 25 lakh houses in Odisha and 7.25 lakh houses in Bengal. Now just imagine, if this scheme was not implemented, what would have happened? Even today in the 21st century, the children of 2.5 crore households would be forced to study in the dark and live in the dark. Those families would remain cut off from modern connectivity and all the facilities related to electricity.

Friends,

Today we talk about increasing the number of airports from 75 to around 150. This is a great achievement for India, but the thought behind it makes it even bigger. Today even that person can travel in an aeroplane who once only dreamt of it. You must have seen many such pictures on social media wherein ordinary citizens of the country are sharing their experiences of being at the airport. Nothing can compare to the joy when their son or daughter takes them on an airplane ride for the first time.

Friends,

India's achievements related to infrastructure are also a subject of research today. When we set aside Rs 10 lakh crore for infrastructure development, it also creates lakhs of jobs. When we link an area with infrastructure like railways and highways, its impact is not limited to the convenience of travelling only. It connects farmers and entrepreneurs to new markets; it connects tourists to tourist places; it connects students to the college of their choice. With this thinking, today India is making record investment on modern infrastructure.

Friends,

Today the country is moving ahead with the cultural idea of 'Jan Seva Hi Prabhu Seva' or public service is service to God. Our spiritual practice here has nurtured this idea for centuries. Pilgrimages like Puri, sacred places like Jagannath Temple have been its centres. Many poor people have been receiving food from the ‘Mahaprasad’ of Lord Jagannath for centuries.

In line with this spirit, today the country is running the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, giving free ration to 80 crore people. Today, if a poor person needs treatment, he gets free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh through the Ayushman card. Crores of poor have got pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Be it Ujjwala gas cylinder in the house or water supply under Jal Jeevan Mission, today the poor are also getting all those basic facilities, for which they had to wait for years earlier.

Friends,

For the rapid development of India, balanced development of the states in India is equally necessary. Today the country is trying to ensure that no state lags behind in the race of development due to lack of resources. That is why in the 15th Finance Commission, a higher budget was recommended for states like Odisha and Bengal compared to before. A state like Odisha has also been blessed with such a vast natural wealth. But, earlier due to wrong policies the states had to be deprived of their own resources.

We reformed the mining policy keeping in mind the mineral wealth. Due to this, the revenue of all the states having mineral wealth has increased considerably. After the introduction of GST, the income from tax has also increased a lot. Today these resources are being used for the development of the state and in the service of the poor and the rural areas. The central government is paying full attention to ensure that Odisha can successfully combat natural calamities. Our government has given more than Rs 8000 crore to Odisha for disaster management and NDRF. This has helped in protecting both people and money during the cyclone.

Friends,

I am confident that this pace of development for Odisha, Bengal and the entire country will increase even further in the coming times. With the grace of Lord Jagannath and Maa Kali, we will definitely reach the goal of a new and developed India. With this wish, my heartiest thanks to all of you! Jai Jagannath to all once again!

*****

DS/ VJ