Governor of Keralam Rajendra Arlekar ji, my colleague in the Union Cabinet Suresh Gopi ji, George Kurian ji, Members of Parliament and Legislative Assembly, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar ji, ladies and gentlemen!

Coming to Kochi is always a wonderful experience. Today, from this vibrant coastal city, I have had the opportunity to further accelerate the development of Keralam. A short while ago, projects worth around eleven thousand crore rupees related to Keralam’s development were inaugurated and foundation stones were laid. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the people of Keralam for these projects.

My dear friends,

For building an Atmanirbhar Bharat and for Make in India, the expansion of the petroleum sector is very essential. The foundation stone of the Polypropylene Unit at Kochi Refinery has been laid with this very goal in mind. This unit will produce around four lakh tonnes of polypropylene every year. In the coming times, this plant will support numerous industries such as packaging, textiles, automobiles, medical devices, and many more.

My dear friends,

India today is becoming a major hub of manufacturing. The country is also progressing rapidly in the fields of AI and semiconductors. For all such work, more energy is required-especially more green and clean energy. And India has already become one of the top countries in the world in solar power. Our effort is that Keralam also advances further in solar power generation. With this objective, today the foundation stone of a 50-megawatt Floating Solar Project has been laid at West Kallada. Keralam has a large number of water bodies, and therefore, there is immense potential here in the field of floating solar power.

My dear friends,

Today the world highly praises India for the investments being made in modern infrastructure. In this year’s Union Budget too, record funds have been allocated for infrastructure. Keralam is greatly benefiting from this investment in infrastructure. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Shoranur Junction, Kuttippuram, and Changanassery railway stations have been modernized. Along with this, electrification of a major section of the Shoranur–Nilambur rail line has also been completed. Today, the Palakkad–Pollachi train service has also been inaugurated. This will provide greater convenience to the people of both Keralam and Tamil Nadu.

My dear friends,

Today, several important road projects in Keralam have also been launched. The construction of a six-lane road will improve connectivity to Azhikkal Port. The six-lane Kozhikode bypass will reduce traffic congestion and save travel time. All these projects will benefit the farmers of Keralam and will give a boost to tourism and other industries here.

My dear friends,

Every rupee spent on infrastructure creates new employment opportunities. All these projects will provide new jobs to thousands of youth in Keralam. I am fully confident that these projects will play a crucial role in fulfilling our resolve of a developed Keralam.

Once again, I extend my best wishes to all of you.

Thank you!

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MJPS/VJ/ST