Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said if India is to advance rapidly, it must ensure a balanced development of states, and see that no state lags behind in development due to lack of adequate resources.
Dedicating to the nation rail projects worth Rs 8000 crore in Odisha, via video conferencing, he said India was able to achieve an impressive pace of progress, even in difficult international conditions, only because every state was involved in the process and contributed to the results.
The policy of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (everybody together, for everyone’s progress), he said, had particularly helped states which had stayed behind in the race for development. The 15th Finance Commission had taken note of the issue, and made higher allocations for States like Odisha and Bengal.
The prime minister said in 10 years before 2014, only 20 km of railway line was added annually in Odisha, while during 2022-23 alone, 120 km long line was laid. He said long pending projects like the Khurda Bolangir line, and the Haridaspur-Paradip line, are being completed rapidly.
“Odisha is one of those states in the country where 100 per cent electrification of rail lines has been achieved,” the prime minister said, as he remarked that work is underway at a fast pace to achieve the same feat in West Bengal.
This, he said, is resulting in the overall increase in the speed of trains as well as, saving in time for freight trains. He noted that the mineral-rich state of Odisha will greatly benefit from the electrification of rail lines where pollution emanating from diesel engines will be significantly reduced and help in industrial development of the state.
Modi said infrastructure not only makes people’s lives easier but also empowers society. The development of the people lags behind when there is a lack of infrastructure. When infrastructure is developed, rapid development of the people takes place simultaneously, the Prime Minister said.
Highlighting the development initiatives, he gave the example of PM Saubhagya Yojana where the Government has provided free electricity connections to more than 2.5 crore households including about 25 lakh houses in Odisha and 7.25 lakh houses in West Bengal.