Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a dig at ‘corrupt’ and ‘dynasts’ who cannot digest the better lifestyles of farmers and middle class attained during the last nine years.

Inaugurating a newly-built international airport at Rajkot on the first day of his two-day visit to his home state, Modi lashed out at the Opposition for allegedly neglecting the interests of people during their tenure.

Advertisement

The greenfield airport, Rajkot International Airport, has been built at Hirasar about 30 kilometres east of the city also known as the political capital and hub of economic activities of Saurashtra.

The prime minister had himself laid the foundation stone for the airport in October 2017.

Built at a cost of Rs 1405 crore, the airport is spread over an area of 2,500 acres with a runway of 3,040 metres. It will have parking slots for as many as 14 aircrafts at a time.

The prime minister said that this international airport would connect Rajkot to global destinations, thus giving a big boost to the industry and economy of the region.

Recalling the achievements of his government during the last nine years, Modi said the number of airports in the country has doubled from just 70 earlier and orders for as many as 1,000 new aircrafts are in the pipeline.

“More than 13.5 crore people have risen above the poverty line in the last nine years,” he said addressing a large gathering assembled near the new airport’s terminal building.

Soon after landing at the airport, Modi inspected the operations of the airport, including the runway and addressed the gathering thereafter.

Present at the inaugural event was Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state BJP president C R Paatil, former Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala and several other dignitaries.

The prime minister also said that ‘Digital India’, which includes many services from banking to filing Income Tax Returns, has eased the life of Indians, almost all of whom now own a mobile phone.

He also claimed that his government has kept prices under control at a time when other countries are reeling under inflation of 20 to 30 per cent.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated through remote control many other projects, including a water supply project that would benefit several villages in the region.

Later in the evening, he would also address a public rally at Rajkot’s Race Course ground and launch a few more projects like multi-level flyovers built at a cost of Rs 130 crores.

Modi would stay overnight at the Raj Bhawan in State Capital Gandhinagar for attending other events here tomorrow.