Vanakkam!

My beloved Tamil brothers and sisters!

The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri R.N. Ravi ji, my colleagues in the Union Cabinet, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ji and Dr. L. Murugan ji, ministers of the Tamil Nadu government, Members of Parliament, other distinguished guests, and my dear brothers and sisters!

Namaskar!

Friends,

Today is the auspicious festival of Ram Navami. A short while ago, the divine rays of the sun graced Ram Lalla with a majestic tilak in the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The life of Lord Shri Ram, and the inspiration of good governance drawn from his kingdom, serve as a great foundation for nation-building. And today, on Ram Navami, let us all chant together: Jai Shri Ram! Jai Shri Ram! Jai Shri Ram! There are references to Shri Ram even in the Sangam-era literature of Tamil Nadu. I extend my heartfelt Ram Navami wishes to all my fellow countrymen from this sacred land of Rameswaram.

Friends, 

I feel blessed that I could pray at the Ramanathaswamy Temple today. On this special day, I got the opportunity to hand over development projects worth eight thousand and three hundred crore rupees. These rail and road projects will boost connectivity in Tamil Nadu. I congratulate my brothers and sisters in Tamil Nadu for these projects.

Friends, 

This is the land of Bharat Ratna Dr. Kalam. His life showed us that science and spirituality complement each other. Similarly, the new Pamban bridge to Rameswaram brings technology and tradition together. A town that is thousands of years old is being connected by a 21st century engineering wonder. I thank our engineers and workers for their hard work. This bridge is India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. Big ships will be able to sail under it. Trains will also be able to travel faster on it. I just flagged off a new train service and also a ship a short while ago. Once again, I congratulate the people of Tamil Nadu for this project.  

Friends,

For many decades, there was a demand for this bridge. With your blessings, we got the privilege of completing this work. Pamban bridge supports both Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Travel. It will have a positive impact on the lives of the lakhs of people. The new train service will improve the connectivity from Rameswaram to Chennai and other parts of the country. This will benefit both trade and tourism in Tamil Nadu. New job and business opportunities will also be created for the youth. 

Friends,

In the past 10 years, Bharat has doubled the size of its economy. One of the major reasons for this rapid growth is our world-class modern infrastructure. Over the last decade, we have increased the budget for railways, roads, airports, ports, electricity, water, and gas pipelines by nearly six times. Today, the country is witnessing rapid progress on mega projects. If you look at the North, one of the world's tallest rail bridges, the Chenab Bridge, has been built in Jammu & Kashmir. In the West, Atal Setu, India's longest sea bridge, has been constructed in Mumbai. In the East, the Bogibeel Bridge in Assam stands as a landmark. And in the South, the Pamban Bridge, one of the world’s few vertical lift bridges, has been completed. Similarly, Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors are also being developed. Work on the country’s first bullet train is progressing at a fast pace. Modern trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Namo Bharat are making the railway network even more advanced.

Friends,

When every region of Bharat is well-connected, the path to becoming a developed nation becomes stronger. This is exactly what has happened in every developed nation and every developed region worldwide. Today, as every state of Bharat gets more interconnected, the true potential of the entire country is being unlocked. This progress is benefiting every region of the country, including our Tamil Nadu.

Friends,

Tamil Nadu has a crucial role in the journey toward Viksit Bharat (Developed India). I firmly believe that the stronger Tamil Nadu becomes, the faster Bharat’s growth will be. Over the past decade, the funds allocated to Tamil Nadu from the central government have been three times more compared to before 2014. The amount of funding the Modi government has provided to Tamil Nadu is three times more than the INDI Alliance when it was in power, and DMK was a part of that government. This has greatly boosted Tamil Nadu’s economic and industrial growth.

Friends,

Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure is a top priority for the Government of Bharat. Over the past decade, the railway budget for Tamil Nadu has been increased more than seven times. Yet, some people have a habit of complaining without reason—they keep crying about things. Before 2014, the annual allocation for railway projects in Tamil Nadu was only 900 crore rupees. And you all know who was in charge of the INDI Alliance at that time. But this year, the railway budget for Tamil Nadu has surpassed 6,000 crore rupees. The Government of Bharat is also modernising 77 railway stations across the state, including the Rameswaram station.

Friends,

In the last ten years, tremendous progress has been made in rural roads and highways under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. With the help of the central government, 4,000 km of roads have been built in Tamil Nadu since 2014. The elevated corridor connecting Chennai Port will be a marvel of modern infrastructure. Today, projects worth nearly 8,000 crore rupees have been inaugurated and launched. These projects will enhance connectivity across different districts of Tamil Nadu and also strengthen links with Andhra Pradesh.

Friends,

Modern public transport systems like Chennai Metro are enhancing ease of travel in Tamil Nadu. We must remember that when so many infrastructure projects are developed, they also create new jobs across multiple sectors. These projects open up new employment opportunities for our youth.

Friends,

Over the past decade, Bharat has made record investments in social infrastructure. I am happy that millions of poor families in Tamil Nadu are benefiting from this. In the last 10 years, over 4 crore pucca (permanent) houses have been provided to poor families across the country. Under the PM Awas Yojana, more than 12 lakh pucca houses have been given to my poor families in Tamil Nadu. In the past 10 years, nearly 12 crore rural families have received piped water connections for the first time. This includes 1 crore 11 lakh families in my Tamil Nadu. Tap water has reached their homes for the first time. This has been a great relief for the mothers and sisters of Tamil Nadu.

Friends,

Providing quality and affordable healthcare to our citizens is a commitment of our government. Just look at the impact of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana—under this scheme, over 1 crore treatments have already been provided in Tamil Nadu. This has resulted in a saving of 8,000 crore rupees for Tamil Nadu's families—money that would have otherwise been spent from their pockets. 8,000 crore rupees staying in the pockets of my Tamil Nadu brothers and sisters is a huge figure. Tamil Nadu also has more than 1,400 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, where medicines are available at an 80% discount. Because of these affordable medicines, my brothers and sisters in Tamil Nadu have saved 700 crore rupees on healthcare expenses. That’s why I urge my Tamil Nadu brothers and sisters—if you need to buy medicines, always visit a Jan Aushadhi Kendra. Here, medicines that cost one rupee elsewhere can be purchased for just 20, 25, or 30 paise.

Friends,

Our goal is to ensure that young Indians no longer have to go abroad to become doctors. In the past few years, Tamil Nadu has received 11 new medical colleges.

Friends,

Several states across the country have started providing medical education in regional languages. Now, even the children of the poorest mothers, who may not have studied English, can become doctors. I urge the Tamil Nadu government to introduce medical courses in Tamil, so that even children from underprivileged families can pursue their dream of becoming doctors.

Friends,

Ensuring that every rupee of taxpayers' money benefits even the poorest citizens—this is the essence of good governance. Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, small farmers in Tamil Nadu have received nearly 12,000 crore rupees. Additionally, Tamil Nadu’s farmers have also received 14,800 crore rupees in claims under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana.

Friends,

Bharat’s growth will be significantly driven by our Blue Economy, and the world can see Tamil Nadu’s strength in this sector. The fishing community in Tamil Nadu is incredibly hardworking. To strengthen Tamil Nadu’s fisheries infrastructure, the central government is providing full support to the state. In the last five years, Tamil Nadu has received hundreds of crores under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana. We want to ensure that fishermen get maximum and modern facilities. Whether it's seaweed parks, fishing harbours, or landing centres, the Central Government is investing crores of rupees. We also care deeply about your safety and security. The Government of Bharat stands firmly with fishermen in times of crisis. Due to the efforts of the Indian government, more than 3,700 fishermen have been brought back safely from Sri Lanka in the last 10 years. Out of these, over 600 fishermen were freed just in the past year. You may also remember that some of our fishermen were sentenced to death. But we worked tirelessly to bring them back alive and reunite them with their families in Bharat.

Friends,

Today, the world’s fascination with Bharat is growing. People want to know and understand Bharat more than ever. A major reason for this is our rich culture and soft power. The government is making continuous efforts to ensure that the Tamil language and heritage reach every corner of the world. Sometimes, I am surprised when I receive letters from some leaders of Tamil Nadu—not a single one signs their name in Tamil! Tamil is a matter of pride, and I urge everyone to at least sign their names in Tamil to honour this glorious language. I firmly believe that we must take this great tradition forward in the 21st century. I have no doubt that the sacred land of Rameswaram and Tamil Nadu will continue to inspire and energize us. And look at the amazing coincidence today. It is the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. We are on the sacred land of Rameswaram. Today, the new Pamban Bridge has been inaugurated. A hundred years ago, the old Pamban Bridge was built by a man born in Gujarat. And today, after 100 years, the new Pamban Bridge has been inaugurated again by someone born in Gujarat.

Friends,

On this auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, as we stand on the sacred land of Rameswaram, I feel deeply moved. Today also marks the foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The vision of a strong, prosperous, and Viksit Bharat that we are working towards is driven by the tireless efforts of every BJP worker. Three to four generations have dedicated their lives to serving Bharat Mata. It is a matter of great pride for me that the ideals of the BJP and the hard work of millions of BJP karyakartas (workers) have given us the opportunity to serve the nation today. The people of the country see the good governance of BJP-led governments. They witness the bold decisions taken in the national interest, and every Indian feels a sense of pride. Across every state, every corner of the country, BJP workers remain deeply connected to the people, working on the ground and serving the poor. Seeing their dedication fills me with immense pride. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the millions of BJP workers and extend my best wishes to them. Once again, I congratulate you all on these development projects in Tamil Nadu!

Nandri! Vanakkam! Meendum Sandhippom!

Bharat Mata Ki Jai!

Bharat Mata Ki Jai!

Bharat Mata Ki Jai!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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MJPS/ST/VK