▪ Country wants politics of development: Modi
Waterways will be the confluence of nature, adventure and culture
VARANASI: Accusing the previous governments of ignoring the strength of rivers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the country wanted politics of development as the people based their decision on development and not on vote bank politics.
Addressing a rally at Wazidpur village in Varanasi, Modi said, “People take decision after seeing development and not on the basis of caste and creed. People want politics of development.”
In his 40-minute address, the PM kept the narrative around development and said timely completion of projects presented a grand picture of development as it happened in Kashi.
“The ring road phase-1 and Babatpur-Varanasi road are world class. These highways will open new doors of development,” he said, assuring the people that the essence of Kashi would be preserved while carrying out development.
Modi also offered prayers to Maa Ganga from the country’s first multi-modal terminal which he inaugurated on Monday.
“Waterways will be the confluence of nature, adventure and culture. It will boost development across eastern India and connect the country with East Asian countries,” Modi said.
He added that Varanasi should have witnessed the completion of national waterway-1 and multimodal terminal decades back.
“Timely completion of projects presents the grand picture of development. The country has witnessed how the next generation infrastructure will transform ways of transportation in the country,” the PM said.
Blaming previous governments for ignoring the strength of rivers, Modi said, “There was a time when big ships used to operate. After Independence, this strength was badly ignored by previous governments. Our government is working seriously to utilise this strength.”
“Work on 100 waterways in the country is in progress. Haldia-Varanasi waterway (NW-1) is one of them. Various facilities are being developed at Farakka, Sahibganj and other locations on this waterway at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore,” he said.
The PM said the waterway would not only make transportation of goods easy but also boost cruise tourism and development in eastern India.
“I am happy that the country’s waterway dream has come true on the pious land of Kashi today,” Modi said, adding that beginning of operation of container vessel, eastern UP and eastern India is now connected with the Bay of Bengal through waterway.
The PM said it was the first time since Independence when river way was being used for trade at such a comprehensive level.
“Four years ago, when I gave the idea to connect Varanasi to Haldia through waterway, people filled with negative energy ridiculed it. The ship which reached Varanasi from Kolkata gave a befitting reply to critics,” he added.
“This container vessel is not only a mode of transportation but also an example of new vision of new India,” the PM said, adding that it also reflected the strength of the country.
“In future, it would open doors for the transportation of big things like tractors. Waterway will save energy, money and time. It will also help decongest roads,” he added.
The PM said projects worth Rs 23,000 crore had been approved for cleaning of Ganga from Gangotri to Gangasagar under ‘Mission Namami Gange’.
“Work on projects worth Rs 5,000 is in progress. All the villages along the river have almost become free of open defecation. These projects are part of our resolution to making Ganga ‘nirmal’ and ‘aviral’,” he added.
The PM thanked the people for their cooperation and support.
“Previous governments wasted thousands of crores of rupees in the name of Ganga cleaning. Underground cabling work freed Kashi from dangling electricity wires on poles. All these initiatives are part of our efforts to make Kashi grand. We have to maintain the grandeur and glory of Kashi so that its glory keeps echoing across the world,” he said.