The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation various projects in Maharashtra worth over Rs 11,200 crore via video conferencing today.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister recalled the cancellation of his event in Pune due to bad weather two days ago and credited technology for today’s virtual event saying that this land of inspiration of great personalities is witnessing a new chapter of Maharashtra’s development. Shri Modi mentioned the inauguration of the Pune Metro section of District Court to Swargate and laying the foundation stone for Swargate-Katraj Extension of Pune Metro Phase-1 today. He also touched upon laying the foundation stone for Memorial for Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule’s First Girls’ School at Bhidewada and expressed satisfaction with the fast progress towards increasing ease of living in Pune.

“Devotees of Bhagwan Vitthal have also received a special present today”, the Prime Minister said, referring to the inauguration of Solapur Airport to establish direct air connectivity to the city. He informed that the terminal capacity has increased and new services and facilities have been created for the passengers after the completion of the upgradation work of the existing airport, thereby increasing convenience for the devotees of Bhagwan Vitthal. He further added that the airport would also give a boost to businesses, industries and tourism and congratulated the people of Maharashtra for today’s development projects.

“Today, Maharashtra needs big goals with new resolutions ”, the Prime Minister remarked, emphasizing the need to make cities like Pune a center of progress and urban development. Talking about Pune’s progress and the pressure of the growing population, the Prime Minister said steps need to be taken now to augment development and capacity . To achieve this goal, the Prime Minister said that the present state government is working with the approach of modernizing Pune’s public transport and giving a boost to connectivity as the city expands.

The Prime Minister recalled that discussions about Pune Metro began in 2008 but its foundation stone was laid in 2016 when quick decisions were taken by his government. As a result, the Prime Minister said, today Pune Metro is gaining speed and expanding. Referring to today’s projects, Shri Modi said on the one hand Pune Metro section of District Court to Swargate has been inaugurated while on the other hand foundation stone for Swargate to Katraj line has also been laid. He recalled inaugurating the metro service from Ruby Hall Clinic to Ramwadi in March this year. The Prime Minister lauded the work done for the expansion of Pune Metro from 2016 till now because of faster decision-making and removing obstacles. He pointed out that the present government has prepared a modern network of metro in Pune while the previous government could barely construct a single Metro pillar in 8 years.

Shri Modi underscored the importance of development-driven governance in ensuring Maharashtra’s progress, emphasizing that any disruption in this continuity leads to significant losses for the state. He highlighted various stalled projects, from Metro initiatives to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train and critical irrigation projects for farmers, which were delayed before the advent of the double-engine government.

The Prime Minister spoke about the Bidkin Industrial Area, a vital component of the Auric City conceptualized during the tenure of the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The project, located on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor had faced obstacles but was revived under the leadership of the double-engine government headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Shri Modi announced the dedication of the Bidkin Industrial Node to the nation, highlighting its potential to bring significant investments and employment opportunities to the region. “With the development of the Bidkin Industrial Area across 8,000 acres, thousands of crores of investment will flow into Maharashtra, creating jobs for thousands of youth,” said the Prime Minister. He emphasized that the mantra of creating jobs through investment is becoming a major strength of the youth in Maharashtra today. Shri Modi reiterated that modernization should be based on the country’s core values and emphasized that India will modernize and develop while carrying forward its rich heritage. He said both future-ready infrastructure and the benefits of development reaching every section are equally important for Maharashtra and underlined that it can become a reality when every section of society participates in the development of the country.

The Prime Minister emphasized the pivotal role of women’s leadership in societal transformation. He paid tribute to Maharashtra’s legacy of women’s empowerment, particularly the efforts of Savitribai Phule, who initiated the movement for women’s education by opening first girls’ school. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Savitribai Phule Memorial, which will include a skill development center, a library, and other essential facilities. Shri Modi expressed confidence that the memorial will serve as a lasting tribute to the social reform movement and inspire future generations.

The Prime Minister highlighted the immense challenges faced by women in pre-independence India, particularly in accessing education, and praised visionaries like Savitribai Phule for opening the doors of education for women. The Prime Minister noted that despite gaining independence, the country struggled to fully shed the mindset of the past and pointed out the previous governments who restricted women’s access in many sectors. He said that a lack of basic infrastructure like toilets in schools would lead to a high dropout rate for girls. Shri Modi said that the present government transformed the outdated systems, including the admission of women in Sainik Schools and roles within the armed forces and also addressed the issue of pregnant women having to quit their work. The Prime Minister outlined the significant impact of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and said that its biggest beneficiaries are daughters and women who have been freed from the hardship of open defecation. He also noted that school sanitation improvements have reduced the dropout rate for girls. Shri Modi  touched upon strict laws for the safety of women and Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam which ensures women’s leadership in India’s democratic process. “When the door of every sector opens up for our daughters, only then do the real doors of progress open for the country”, Shri Modi said expressing confidence that Savitribai Phule Memorial will give further energy to these resolutions and the campaign for women empowerment.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his belief in Maharashtra’s pivotal role in guiding the nation towards development and said, “Together we will achieve this goal of ‘Viskit Maharashtra, Viksit Bharat”.

Governor of Maharashtra, Shri C P Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Shri Ajit Pawar and other dignitaries were virtually present.

Background

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Pune Metro section of District Court to Swargate which will also mark the completion of Pune Metro Rail Project (Phase-1). The cost of the underground section between District Court to Swargate is around Rs 1,810 crore. Further, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Swargate-Katraj Extension of Pune Metro Phase-1 to be developed at the cost of around Rs 2,955 crore. This southern extension of around 5.46 km is completely underground with three stations namely Market Yard, Padmavati and Katraj.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation Bidkin Industrial Area, a transformative project covering an expansive 7,855 acres under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program of Govt. of India, situated 20 kms south of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra. The project developed under Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor holds immense potential as a vibrant economic hub in the Marathwada region. Central Government has approved this project with an overall project cost of over Rs 6,400 crore for development in 3 phases.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Solapur Airport which would significantly improve connectivity, making Solapur more accessible to tourists, business travellers and investors. The existing terminal Building of Solapur has been revamped to serve around 4.1 lakh passengers annually. Further, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Memorial for Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule’s First Girls’ School at Bhidewada.

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