Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while inaugurating the New Pamban Bridge in Ramanathapuram on Sunday, emphasised that developing Tamil Nadu’s infrastructure is among his government’s highest priorities.
Highlighting the Centre’s ongoing support for various projects in the state, he said, “The infrastructure of Tamil Nadu is a top priority for the government. In the past decade, the state’s rail budget has increased more than sevenfold. Despite this significant growth, some people continue to complain without justification…”
Significant rise in Rail Budget post-2014
Pointing to the contrast in budgetary allocations over the years, he remarked, “Before 2014, only Rs 900 crore were allocated each year. You know who was the ‘karta-dharta’ of the INDI alliance at that time. However, this year, Tamil Nadu’s rail budget has exceeded Rs 6000 crore.”
He also outlined progress in the state’s railways and roadways, saying, “Additionally, the Indian government is modernizing 77 railway stations, including the one in Rameswaram. In the past 10 years, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, a lot of work has been done on village roads and highways. After 2014, with the help of the Central Government, around 4000 kilometres of roads have been built in Tamil Nadu…”
Metro connectivity and housing for the poor
He said modern public transport like the Chennai Metro has improved ease of travel and noted, “In the last 10 years, more than 4 crore pucca houses have been given to poor families across the country, and under the PM Awas Yojana, more than 12 lakh pucca houses have been provided to my poor brothers and sisters here in Tamil Nadu…”
Underscoring the state’s importance in India’s developmental journey, he added, “I believe the country’s overall development will improve as Tamil Nadu’s potential is realized.” He highlighted that over the past decade, the NDA government has tripled the fund allocation to Tamil Nadu compared to the pre-2014 period, saying, “In the last decade, the central government has allocated three times more funding to Tamil Nadu compared to the period before 2014. The Modi government has provided three times the funds to Tamil Nadu while the INDI alliance was in power. This support has contributed to the growth of the economy and industry in the state.”
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister flagged off a train and a ship from the New Pamban Bridge — India’s first vertical lift sea bridge — in the presence of Governor RN Ravi and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Speaking about the new services, he said, “The new train service will improve connectivity from Rameswaram to Chennai and other parts of the country. This will benefit both trade and tourism in Tamil Nadu. New jobs and opportunities will also be created for the youth…”
He attributed the country’s economic expansion to infrastructure development: “A major reason for such rapid growth is also our splendid modern infrastructure. In the past 10 years, we have increased the budget for infrastructure like rail, road, airports, water, ports, electricity, gas pipelines… by nearly six times.”
Listing key achievements across the country, he said, “In the north, in Jammu and Kashmir, one of the highest rail bridges in the world, the Chenab Bridge, has been completed. In the west, in Mumbai, India’s longest sea bridge, the Atal Setu, has been constructed. In the east, in Assam, you can see the Bogibeel Bridge. And in the south, the Pamban Bridge, one of the few vertical lift bridges in the world, has been constructed…”
Bullet train, modern trains and freight corridors
He also spoke of ongoing national projects: “Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors are also being developed. Work is progressing rapidly on the country’s first bullet train. Modern trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Namo Bharat are making our rail network more advanced…”
Highlighting support to Tamil Nadu’s farming community, he said, “In Tamil Nadu, lakhs of small farmers have received around Rs 12,000 crore under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Additionally, farmers of Tamil Nadu have also received claims worth Rs 14,800 crore through the PM Fasal Bima Yojana.”
Rs 8,300 crore projects dedicated to the nation
The Prime Minister noted Tamil Nadu’s significance in the blue economy, saying, “India’s growth story is going to have a significant contribution from our Blue Economy, and the world can clearly see the strength of Tamil Nadu in this sector. The fishing community of Tamil Nadu is extremely hardworking… In the last 5 years, under the PM Matsya Sampada Scheme, Tamil Nadu has received crores of rupees for fisheries development…”
Concluding his address, he said, “I feel blessed that I could pray at the Ramanathaswamy temple today. On this special day, I got the opportunity to hand over development works worth Rs 8,300 crores. These rail and road projects will boost connectivity in Tamil Nadu. I congratulate my brother and sisters in Tamil Nadu for these projects.”
(With inputs from ANI)
