INDIA. Mumbai: On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and dedicated many important developmental projects worth Rs 38,800 crore, including two metro train lines, as part of the development of Mumbai.
Addressing a largely attended public meeting at BKC Ground in North West Mumbai, Modi said that politics should not come in the way of development work and the role of the local self-government is crucial in the successful completion of any project.
Mumbai, which is considered the pulse of the country, will be transformed into a beautiful city within a few years by implementing projects such as the coastal road, the Ambedkar memorial at Indu Mill in Dadar, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Dharavi Redevelopment, and the redevelopment of old and dilapidated chawls, Modi said while complimenting Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for giving momentum to the development work that was stalled in the intervening period.
Modi, who inaugurated the project of giving Swaniddhi certificates to hawkers and street vendors (to enable them to obtain loans with little effort), said that this scheme was floated in June 2020.
However, it was stalled by the previous government (the MVA government). But with the change in guard in Maharashtra, now it will be implemented successfully.
Over 35 lakh hawkers in the country are engaged in digital transactions worth Rs 50,000 crore, which is part of “digital India.”
Now these small-time entrepreneurs will not be required to pay heavy interest to money lenders. “With the participation of all, nothing is impossible,” he added.
About Metro Rail, he said that when the project was inaugurated in 2014, the network was limited to 10–11 km, but today it has expanded up to 300 km, ensuring connectivity and reducing road traffic congestion.
Futuristic source, modern approach, and infrastructure development are the keywords. Earlier, the government (the union government) spent most of the time diverting funds meant for the poor and indulging in corruption.
Today, when the global economy is in bad shape, the Union Government has been providing free food grains to the poor, Modi said.
In the next 25 years, Maharashtra will grow further, and Mumbai has to be equipped to meet more challenges.
The railway has to be in mission mode to ensure local rail connectivity. Modi also travelled on the Metro Rail (07) line and mingled with Metro Rail workers.
The projects inaugurated by Modi included: Mumbai Metro lines 2A and 7, Seven Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP) (Rs 17182 crore), 20 modern clinics, 3 special hospitals (Gorgaon, Oshiwara, and Bhandup), 5.400 km of road concretization work (Rs 6079 crore), renovation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (Rs 1800 crore), and modern toilet facilities and Swaniddhi certificates to over one lakh hawkers.
With these certificates, the amount was directly credited to the accounts of the beneficiaries.
In his speech, CM Shinde said that Mumbai would be transformed within three years. He described how Maharashtra was able to sign agreements worth Rs 1 lakh, or Rs 55,000 crore, at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and how foreign delegates were lauding the state’s work and the leadership of Modi. “Due to Modi’s initiative, India received the presidency of Group of 10,” he added.
DCM Fadnavis, in his welcome speech, criticised the previous MVA government led by Shiv Sena Party Chief Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena-led BMC. Due to the corruption, the roads in Mumbai were full of potholes, and the STPs were not implemented. However, now all these shortcomings will be done away with, he added.
Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, BJP State President Chandrashekhar Bavankule, Central Ministers Bhagwat Karad, Ramdas Athavle, Narayan Rane, Raosaheb Danve, MPs Rahul Shevale, Manoj Kotak, and Poonam Mahajan, BJP leaders Ashish Shelar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha, and Maharashtra Ministers including Deepak Kesarkar were present on the dia.
Also Read: PM Modi to Inaugurate Mumbai Metro Lines 2A and 7 from Gundavali Station
