Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Uttar Pradesh is rising from the earlier hopelessness towards a state of hope and aspiration under the Yogi Adityanath government.
Modi was addressing a public meeting shortly after laying foundation stones and launching 28 development projects worth over Rs 1,780 crore in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency.
"Uttar Pradesh is rising from hopelessness and moving towards hope and aspirations. Where security and facilities are made available, prosperity is certain," Modi said, appreciating the efforts of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who completes the first year in office in his second term on Saturday.
During a programme at the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University ground here, Modi termed himself a "sewak (servant)" and said, "The development of Kashi is being discussed all over the country and the world."
"Whoever is coming to Kashi is taking new energy from here. Nine years ago, people had apprehensions that there would be no change in Banaras and nothing would happen in Kashi. But the people of Kashi proved every apprehension wrong with their hard work," he said. "Today, in Kashi, both the old and the new forms are simultaneously seen," Modi said.
He added that people in India and abroad appreciated the development of the Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor and the Ganga ghat. “In the past one year, over seven crore tourists visited Varanasi and brought employment opportunities for the local residents,” Modi said.
He also announced that a big campaign to promote natural farming would start on both sides of the Ganga. "A big campaign is going to start on both sides of the Ganga river. Natural farming will be encouraged on five kilometres on both sides. Arrangements have been made in the Budget for this," he said.
The prime minister had earlier laid the foundation stone of the passenger ropeway from Varanasi Cantonment station to Godowlia. The project is estimated to cost Rs 645 crore. The 3.75-kilometre ropeway system will have five stations and facilitate the ease of movement for tourists, pilgrims and residents.
Modi also laid the foundation stone of a 55 MLD (million litres per day) sewage treatment plant at Bhagwanpur under the Namami Gange scheme. The project will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.
Under the Khelo India scheme, Modi laid the foundation stone of the Phase 2 and Phase 3 redevelopment work of Sigra Stadium. He also dedicated 19 drinking water schemes that will benefit over three lakh people in 63 panchayats under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
To further strengthen the rural drinking water system, the prime minister laid the foundation stone of 59 drinking water schemes under the mission.
Earlier, while addressing the 'One World TB Summit' on World TB Day, Modi said India's ideology of "Vasudev Kutumbakam" is giving the modern world an integrated vision and solutions.
Launching a series of initiatives to eliminate tuberculosis in India, the prime minister said the country is working to eliminate the disease by 2025 against the global target of 2030.
"India's image reflects in its ideology of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam (whole world is one family)'. This old thought is giving the modern world an integrated vision and solutions," he said.
