PM Modi inaugurates several railway projects in West Bengal

NEW DELHI, Feb 22, 2021, Hindustan Times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will build a Bengal where religion and ability will be respected, and where everyone can experience development, Hindustan Times reported.

“BJP will work for a Sonar Bangla that will strengthen the history and culture of Bengal. We will build a Bengal where religion and ability will be respected. We will build a Bengal where everyone is developed,” PM Modi said in his address.

The Prime Minister was addressing a public meeting in West Bengal’s Hoogly. He also inaugurated several railway projects in the state.

PM Modi said that the formation of a BJP government in West Bengal isn’t merely for a change in power, but for ‘Ashol Poriborton’.

“Our youth is living with the hope of this ‘Ashol Poriborton’ (real transformation), and thus, we need to form the BJP government in Bengal,” PM Modi said.

Accusing chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government of siphoning funds provided for cyclone relief, PM Modi said, “The Central government has provided ₹1,700 crore for relief work after Amphan to the TMC government in Bengal. The state government has only spent ₹609 crore. The leftover ₹1,100 crore has been siphoned off by TMC.”

He also accused the chief minister of stalling the availability of free healthcare treatment.

“Lakhs of needy people in Bengal have not been able to receive free treatment worth ₹5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat. This is the kind of hurdle Mamata Ji’s government has formed between the people of Bengal and development,” the PM said.

Taking a swipe at Mamata-led government, “People who talk about maa-maati-manush have become a wall in front of the development of Bengal. The money deposited by the central government for farmers and the poor goes directly into these people’s bank account.

Hailing Bengali leaders who participated in India’s freedom struggle, PM said, “This entire region including Chandannagar is a major part of India’s independence struggle, its culture and its science. Maharshi Aurobindo, Motilal Roy, Rashbehari Bose, Bipin Bihari Ganguly, Kanailal Dutta and several more are associated with this land.”

Plugging the development plank, PM said, “Better infrastructure, agriculture, industry, tourism – employment opportunities need a lot right reforms. Infrastructure associated with connectivity is the priority of our govt. In the last few years, we’ve focused on highway, waterway, airway and e-way.”

PM Modi is in Bengal where he will inaugurate the extension of Metro Railway from Noapara to Dakshineswar, and flag off the first service on this stretch. This 4.1 km extension has been constructed at a cost of ₹464 crore, fully funded by the central government. It will decongest road traffic and improve urban mobility. This extension will ease out access to the two world-famous Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar, for lakhs of tourists and devotees.

The two newly built stations namely Baranagar and Dakshineswar have modern passenger amenities and are also aesthetically designed and decorated with murals, photographs, sculptures and idols.

Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate the third line between Kalaikunda and Jhargram over a stretch of 30 km of the 132 km long Kharagpur-Adityapur Third Line Project of South Eastern Railway, which was sanctioned with an estimated cost of ₹1,312 crore.

He will dedicate to the nation the doubling of Azimganj to Khargraghat Road section, which is a part of the Howrah-Bandel-Azimganj section of Eastern Railway, which has been laid at a project cost of about ₹240 crore.