INDIA. Mumbai: On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a momentous occasion by inaugurating a series of public utility projects in Maharashtra with an estimated total cost of Rs 7500 crore.
Among the key highlights of his visit was the unveiling of the Darshan Queue Complex at the Saibaba shrine in Shirdi, Ahmednagar district.
In Shirdi, Modi arrived at 01:00 PM and commenced the day by performing a special pooja at the Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple.
He then proceeded to inaugurate the newly constructed Darshan Queue Complex at the temple. It’s worth noting that the foundation for this impressive complex was laid by the Prime Minister in October 2018.
The state-of-the-art mega building has been designed to provide a comfortable and spacious waiting area for devotees, offering multiple waiting halls with a cumulative seating capacity of over 10,000 people.
This complex comes equipped with various air-conditioned public amenities, including cloak rooms, toilets, booking counters, prasad counters, and an information center.
With a construction cost of Rs 110 crore, it is expected to greatly ease the experience for pilgrims who often have to endure long queues under the sun during normal days and heavy rains during the monsoon season.
Another significant stop on the Prime Minister’s agenda was the Nilwande Dam. Around 2 PM, he performed the Jal Pujan of the dam and dedicated its left bank canal network, spanning 85 km, to the nation.
This project, which had faced decades of delays, was initially approved in 1970 under the name Mhaladevi, with an estimated cost of Rs 7.9 crore. It was later relocated to Nilwande upstream of the Pravar river in Akole taluka of Ahmednagar, with the dam’s capacity reduced to 8.52 TMC.
However, due to multiple delays, the final cost of the project ballooned to Rs 5,177 crore. The dam was eventually commissioned in 2014, but the canal networks remained under construction.
Upon full completion, this project is anticipated to bring approximately 68,000 hectares of land under irrigation and provide drinking water to more than 125 villages across various talukas in Ahmednagar and Nashik districts.
In the afternoon, at around 3:15 PM, Prime Minister Modi attended a public program in Shirdi where he inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects valued at about Rs 7500 crore. These projects span various sectors, including health, rail, road, and oil and gas.
The projects unveiled and dedicated included the Ayush Hospital at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital, the electrification of the Kurduwadi-Latur Road railway section (186 km), the creation of a 3rd & 4th railway line connecting Jalgaon to Bhusaval (24.46 km), the quadruplication of the Sangli to Borgaon section of National Highway (NH-166) (Package-I), and additional facilities at the Manmad Terminal of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited. Additionally, he laid the foundation stone for the Maternal & Child Health Wing at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital.
Prime Minister Modi also launched the ‘Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana,’ aimed at benefiting over 86 lakh farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
This initiative will provide an additional annual sum of Rs 6000 to the beneficiaries. During the program, Modi distributed Ayushman cards and Svamitva cards to the beneficiaries.
Finally, in the evening, Prime Minister Modi’s schedule took him to Goa, where he arrived at around 06:30 PM. He inaugurated the 37th National Games at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Margao, and addressed the athletes participating in the Games.
This marked a historic event, as it was the first time the National Games were hosted in Goa, running from October 26 to November 09, with over 10,000 athletes from across the country competing in over 43 sports disciplines at 28 venues.
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