Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out Rs 16,000 crore worth projects including the inauguration of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, laying the foundation stone for the Mysuru-Kushalnagar 4-lane highway and irrigation projects aimed at transforming Karnataka’s landscape.
Addressing a mammoth gathering, the Prime Minister took a dig at the Congress for raising the slogan ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ (Modi, your grave will be dug), saying, “the Congress is dreaming of digging Modi’s grave, while I am busy in building Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway and easing the lives of poor.”
He warned his detractors that “the crores of mothers, sisters and daughters and the blessings of the people of India act as his protective shield.”
The Prime Minister criticized the callous approach of the previous governments and said that much of the money allocated for the development of the poor got pilfered. In 2014, he said, a sensitive government of the poor which understood the pain of the poor sections came into power.
Reflecting on his vision which sees the modernisation of the country going ahead along with its rich traditions, the Prime Minister said the new Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway would improve the connectivity between these two hubs of technology and tradition in Karnataka by reducing the travel time to a mere one and a half hours.
Noting that the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway crosses through the heritage towns of Ramnagar and Mandya, the Prime Minister remarked that the potential for tourism will not only get a boost but accessibility to the birthplace of Maa Kaveri will also be made possible.
He also highlighted laying the foundation stone for the Mysuru-Kushalnagar 4-lane highway and said that these projects will further the spirit of ‘Sabka Vikas’ and open the gates of prosperity. The Prime Minister congratulated the people of Karnataka for these projects.
The Prime Minister said the “Bharatmala and Sagarmala Yojna is transforming the landscape of India and Karnataka today.” He informed that more than 10 lakh crores have been allocated for infrastructure development in the country in this year’s budget.
He pointed out that infrastructure brings along jobs, investment and earning opportunities. In Karnataka alone, the government has invested more than 1 lakh crore in highway-related projects in recent years.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway which had always been affected by landslides during the monsoons impacting the port connectivity in the region will be addressed by the widening of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway. He said that the industries in the region will also start to flourish with the increased connectivity.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the Government’s schemes to uplift the poor. He informed that more than 3 crore houses have been constructed in the last 9 years out of which lakhs of the houses were built in Karnataka and 40 Lakh new households got piped water under Jal Jeevan Mission.
Elaborating on the schemes for the farm sector, the Prime Minister underlined that 5,300 crores rupees have been allocated for the Upper Bhadra Project in this year’s Budget while the irrigation projects that were stuck for decades are also being completed at a fast pace. He highlighted that the irrigational issues faced by the people of this region will be solved with this.
Apart from providing solutions to the small issues faced by the farmers of Karnataka, the Prime Minister informed that the government has directly transferred 12,000 crore rupees into the bank accounts of the farmers of Karnataka via PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna where more than 2.75 lakh farmers belonging to the Mandya region have been provided 600 crores by the central government alone.
