Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attacked the Opposition for its propaganda targeting the Government in the name of HAL and said that “falsehood, no matter how big, frequent or high, is always defeated in the face of truth.”

Dedicating to the nation the HAL Helicopter Factory in Tumakuru, Karnataka, he said: “This factory and the rising strength of HAL has exposed the purveyors of falsehood. Reality is speaking for itself.” He said the same HAL is making modern Tejas for Indian Armed forces and is a center of global attraction and bolstering India’s atma nirbharta in the defence sector.

After dedicating the HAL Helicopter Factory, the Prime Minister took a walkthrough of the Helicopter Facility and Structure Hangar and unveiled the Light Utility Helicopter.

The Prime Minister said that the Industrial township is a huge gift to Tumakuru after the Food Park and HAL, and helps in developing Tumakuru as a big industrial center of the country. He expressed happiness that the township is being developed under the PM Gatishakti Masterplan which will be connected with multimodal connectivity via Mumbai-Chennai Highway, Bengaluru Airport, Tumakuru Railway station and Manguluru Port.

The Prime Minister lauded the talent and innovation of Karnataka youth and said the manufacturing sector’s strength is manifested in products from drones to Tejas fighter planes.

“Double-engine government has made Karnataka the first choice of investors” the Prime Minister asserted and illustrated the point by the HAL project dedicated today for which the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone in 2016 with a pledge for reducing the foreign dependence for defence needs.

The Prime Minister expressed delight that hundreds of arms and defence equipment are being manufactured in India which are being used by the armed forces today. “From advanced assault rifles to tanks, aircraft carriers, helicopters, fighter jets, transport aircraft, India is manufacturing it all”, the Prime Minister remarked.

Throwing light on the aerospace sector, the Prime Minister pointed out that the investment made in this sector in the last 8-9 years is five times the investment made before 2014 plus 15 years prior. The Prime Minister underlined that Made in India arms are not just supplied to Indian armed forces but the defence exports have also grown manifold when compared to the years before 2014.

He emphasized that hundreds of helicopters are going to be manufactured in this facility itself in the near future which will give rise to businesses worth Rs 4 lakh crore. “When such manufacturing units are set up, it does not just strengthen the armed forces but also creates employment and self-employment opportunities,” Modi remarked as he underlined that small businesses near the helicopter manufacturing facility in Tumkuru will get empowered.

Referring to this year’s Union Budget, he said that this year’s middle-class-friendly budget will give strength to everyone’s efforts for the Viksit Bharat (developed India). “This is a popular, all-encompassing, all-inclusive budget that touches everyone,” he said.

Elaborating on the benefits of the Budget for the deprived, youth, and women in agriculture, he said “We kept in mind all three aspects, your needs, assistance to be provided to you and your income,” he said. This budget is a big step in the direction of Samarth Bharat, Sampann Bharat, Swayampurna Bharat, Shaktiman Bharat, Gatiwan Bharat, he said.

The Prime Minister emphasized the efforts of the government since 2014 to empower that section of society for whom getting government assistance was a difficult task. “Either the government schemes did not reach them, or it was looted by middlemen,” the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi highlighted the PM Vikas Yojana will allow craftsmen or Vishwakaramas such as Kumbara, Kammara, Akkasaliga, Shilpi, Garekelasdava, Badgi and others, those who build something with the skill of their hands and hand tools, further enrich their art and skills.

Inaugurating the India Energy Week (IEW), 2023 in Bengaluru, the Prime Minister launched the uniforms under the ‘Unbottled’ initiative of Indian Oil. These uniforms are made of recycled PET bottles. He also dedicated the twin-cooktop model of the IndianOil’s Indoor Solar Cooking System and flagged off its commercial roll-out.

Later in the day, the Prime Minister also launched E20 fuel at 84 retail outlets of Oil Marketing Companies in 11 States/UTs along the lines of the ethanol blending roadmap. He also flagged off the Green Mobility Rally where vehicles running on green energy sources will participate and help create public awareness for green fuels.

Regarding Bio-energy expansion, the Prime Minister talked about the first 2G Ethanol bio-refinery in August last year and said that preparation is for 12 commercial 2G Ethanol plants. He gave a detailed exposition of emphasis on renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation and green technologies in the new budget.

Rs 35,000 crore has been kept for priority capital investment to push energy transition and net-zero objectives. Provision for Rs 10 lakh crore rupees capital expenditure will give a push to green hydrogen, solar to road infrastructure, he said.