Chennai, October 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated, dedicated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth over ₹13,000 crore in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The projects include rail and road works and an advanced lubricant base oil project. Earlier in the day the Prime Minister dedicated a new stretch of the Chennai Metro to the public and visited the Brain Research Centre at IIT Madras.
Modi said the projects would ease daily travel, support industry and trade and create jobs for young people in the state. He said the lubricant base oil project would create local employment and help cut the country’s imports.
Metro network
The Prime Minister said metro services had expanded from five cities in 2014 to 25 cities now, and the national metro network had grown from about 250 km to over 1,100 km. The new Chennai stretch adds to that network and is meant to shorten journeys for people in the city, he said.
Ports and fisheries
Modi referred to a recent decision to invest about ₹17,000 crore to develop the VOC Port at Thoothukudi into a mega container and green energy hub able to handle ultra-large container ships.
He said funds had been approved for Tamil Nadu under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana and other schemes to upgrade fishing harbours, landing centres and cold-chain facilities. He mentioned the modernisation of the Chennai Fishing Harbour and a seaweed park in the state, and said fishermen can now get working capital through the Kisan Credit Card.
Manufacturing
The Prime Minister said India had become the world’s second-largest mobile phone maker and that electronics exports had grown eleven-fold since 2014. Tamil Nadu’s manufacturing units and small industries had made a major contribution to this, he said.
Modi also marked 25 years as head of a government since he first took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister in October 2001. He said he was working with Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Tamil Nadu’s development.
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