Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached here on Friday, inaugurated and launched a series of major infrastructure, transport, social welfare and scientific initiatives, marking a significant development push for Kerala and the southern region.

The venue was the Puthirikandom Maidan, where the event took place. Present on the occasion were Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor and others.

In a major boost to rail connectivity, the Prime Minister flagged off four new train services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains and one passenger train.

The new services are the Nagercoil-Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express, and a passenger train between Thrissur and Guruvayur.

The introduction of these trains is expected to significantly enhance long-distance and regional connectivity between Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Officials said the new services would make travel more affordable, safe and time-bound, while also providing a fillip to tourism, trade, education, employment and cultural exchange across the region.

As part of efforts to strengthen urban livelihoods, the Prime Minister launched the PM SVANidhi Credit Card, marking the next phase of financial inclusion for street vendors.

The UPI-linked, interest-free revolving credit facility is aimed at providing instant liquidity, promoting digital transactions and helping beneficiaries build formal credit histories.

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PM Modi also disbursed PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries, including street vendors from Kerala.

The PM SVANidhi scheme, launched in 2020, has enabled first-time access to formal credit for a majority of beneficiaries and played a key role in livelihood security among urban informal workers.

PM Modi handed over the credit card to a woman fruit vendor, a tailor and distributed cheques to T.P. Biju and Sahayarani, a fish vendor.

In the field of science and innovation, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub in Thiruvananthapuram.

The hub will focus on life sciences and the bio-economy, integrate traditional knowledge systems such as Ayurveda with modern biotechnology, and promote startup creation, technology transfer and global collaboration.

Strengthening healthcare infrastructure was another focus, with the Prime Minister laying the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology.

He also inaugurated the new Poojappura Head Post Office, a modern facility offering postal, banking, insurance and digital services.

--IANS