- Monday, February 24, 2025
The Indian PM made a visit to Ahmedabad in his home state of Gujarat to flag off railway projects and launched the Gandhi Ashram Memorial masterplan in Sabarmati.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (12) said his government in New Delhi takes up development work as part of its mission to build the nation and not to win elections as perceived by a section of people.
The leader, who was speaking at an event in Ahmedabad in the western state of Gujarat where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several railway projects worth Rs 85,000 crore (£8.02 billion), said, “Some people try to look at our efforts through the electoral lens. Let me tell you that we undertake developmental works as part of a mission to build the nation, not to form a government (by winning elections). We want to ensure that our youth do not suffer what their past generations suffered. This is Modi’s guarantee.”
He also flagged off a number of 10 Vande Bharat Express, India’s semi high-speed trains, and freight trains at the event.
Paying homage to all those who took part in the Dandi March under Bapu’s leadership, which began on this day in 1930.
Later today at around 10 AM, I will attend a programme to mark the inauguration of the redeveloped Kochrab Ashram, which had a very special place in Mahatma… pic.twitter.com/jQMNz8d7V3
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2024
Modi, who is seeking his third consecutive term in office in general elections due soon, said his government has spent around six times more the amount for the development of railways than was done previously.
“In just over two months of 2024, we have inaugurated and laid the foundation of Rs 11 lakh crore (£104 billion) projects,” he said.
“I started my life on railway tracks, so I know how bad our railways were earlier,” he said.
Modi said he discontinued the separate railway budget and included it in the federal budget so that government money can be used for the development of Railways.
The PM also said that till now, 350 ‘Aastha’ trains have facilitated 450,000 people to visit Ayodhya.
The prime minister also launched during the day a Gandhi Ashram Memorial masterplan in Sabarmati in Ahmedabad worth Rs 12,000 crore besides inaugurating the revamped Kochrab Ashram. The event was held to commemorate the 94th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s famous Dandi March which he had taken out on March 12, 1930.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi said, “A country which does not cherish its heritage loses its future also. The Sabarmati Ashram is not only a heritage for the country but for the entire mankind.”
He also took a dig at India’s first government formed after independence in 1947 saying it had no political will or mentality to maintain heritage sites such as Sabarmati Ashram.
(With PTI inputs)
