Kavaratti, Jan 3: After the inauguration of various projects worth Rs 1,156 crores in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi said that the area of Lakshadweep may be small, but its heart is huge.

"The area of Lakshadweep may be small, but its heart is huge. I am overwhelmed by the love and blessings I am receiving here. I pay my gratitude to you all," said PM Modi after the inauguration of several projects in Kavaratti.

"In 2020, I guaranteed you that you will get a fast internet facility within the next 1000 days. Today, the Kochi-Lakshadweep Submarine Optical Fiber Project has been inaugurated. Now, the internet in Lakshadweep will be available at 100 times higher speed," said PM Modi.

"After independence, the only priority of governments that remained at the Centre for decades was the development of their political parties. Far-off states, border areas or those in the middle of the ocean were not given any attention. Notably, in the last 10 years, our government has made border areas and areas at the edge of the sea its priority." added the PM.

Speaking on the blue economy, PM Modi said, "Today, India is focussing on increasing its share in the world seafood market, and Lakshadweep is hugely benefitting from this. Today, the Tuna fish of Lakshadweep is being exported to Japan, and the welfare of fishermen is being fully ensured. Notably, the possibilities related to seaweed cultivation are also being explored in Lakshadweep."

Prime Minister Modi said that the government is committed to the sustainable development of Lakshadweep.

"Our government is committed to the sustainable development of Lakshadweep; the Solar Power Plant present here, which is based on the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), is one such example. Notably, this is Lakshadweep's first battery-backed Solar Project. This project will usher in lesser pollution and lesser impact on the ocean ecosystem of the State," the PM said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 1,156 crores in Kavaratti.

PM Modi also interacted with beneficiaries of various government of India schemes in Lakshadweep.

"It was a delight to interact with beneficiaries of various GoI schemes in Lakshadweep. A group of women talked about how their SHG worked towards starting a restaurant, thus becoming self-reliant; an elderly person shared how Ayushman Bharat helped in treating a heart ailment, and a woman farmer's life changed due to PM-KISAN. Others talked about free ration, benefits for Divyangs, PM-AWAS, Kisan Credit Cards, Ujjwala Yojana and more. It is indeed satisfying to see the fruits of development reach a cross-section of people, even in the more remote areas." PM Modi posted on X.

Later today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing a mass gathering of two lakh women from various walks of life at the Bharatiya Janata Party's Mahila Conference in Thrissur Kerala. Banners and hoardings have been put up in Thrissur city to welcome the Prime Minister.

Titled 'Sthree Shakthi Modikk Oppam' (Empower Women with Modi), the convention, to be held at the Thekkinkadu ground today is organised by the Kerala unit of the BJP to congratulate PM Modi for successfully passing the Women's Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu

He dedicated the Demonstration Fast Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant (DFRP) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam in Chengalpattu district.

Built at a cost of about Rs 400 crore, this groundbreaking facility has the unique distinction of being the world's only industrial-scale plant capable of handling both carbide and oxide spent fuels from fast reactors, a release stated.

He also inaugurated the new terminal building of the Tiruchirappalli International Airport -- Tamil Nadu's second-largest terminal in terms of international traffic, after the one in the capital Chennai.

The new terminal building has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 1100 crore. The two-level new international terminal can serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually and about 3,500 during peak hours. Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the second-largest airport in terms of international passenger traffic after Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

Prime Minister Modi also dedicated to the nation multiple railway projects worth crores. These include the doubling of the 41.4 km Salem-Magnesite Junction-Omalur-Mettur Dam section; the doubling of the rail line section of 160 km from Madurai-Tuticorin; and three projects for rail line electrification: Tiruchchirappalli-Manamadurai-Virudhunagar; Virudhunagar-Tenkasi Junction; Sengottai-Tenkasi Junction; Tirunelveli- Tirunelveli- Tiruchendur. The rail projects are tipped to help improve the rail capacity to carry freight and passengers and contribute to economic development and employment generation in Tamil Nadu.

(ANI)

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