PM’s address at the launch of development works in Hubballi-Dharwad, Karnataka
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 12 Mar, 2023

Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! जगद्गुरु बसवेश्वर अवरिगे नन्ना नमस्कारगळु। कले, साहित्य मत्तू संस्कृतिया इ नाडिगे, कर्नाटक दा एल्ला सहोदरा सहोदरीयारिगे नन्ना नमस्कारगळु। Friends, I had the opportunity of visiting Hubballi earlier this year as well. I will never forget the way my dear brothers and sisters of Hubballi stood on the roadside and showered so much love and blessings on me. In the past, I have had the opportunity to visit several different parts of Karnataka. From Bangalore to Belagavi, from Kalaburagi to Shimoga, from Mysuru to Tumakuru, the kind of love, affection and blessings that Kannadigas have given me ceaselessly is indeed overwhelming. I am indebted to your affection and I will repay this debt by continuously serving the people of Karnataka. We are working together in the direction of ensuring that every person in Karnataka has a contented life; the youth here is moving forward and getting new employment opportunities regularly, and the sisters and daughters are better empowered. The double engine government of BJP is making sincere efforts for the holistic development of every district, every village and every town in Karnataka. Today a new stream of development is emerging on this land of Dharwad. This stream of development will brighten and blossom the future of Hubballi, Dharwad as well as entire Karnataka. Friends, For centuries, our Dharwad has been known as the gateway town between Malenadu and Bayalu. This city used to be a halt for travellers from different regions. It welcomed everyone with open arms, and enriched itself by learning from everyone. That is why Dharwad is not just a gateway, but has become a reflection of the vibrancy of Karnataka and India. It is known as the cultural capital of Karnataka. Dharwad has been identified with literature, which has produced writers like Dr. D.R. Bendre. Dharwad has been recognized for its rich music, which has produced musicians like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal and Basavaraj Rajguru. The land of Dharwad has produced great gems like Pandit Kumar Gandharva, Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur. And Dharwad is also identified by its cuisine. Who wouldn’t want to savour the ‘Dharwad Peda’ again and again once tasted. But my friend Prahlad Joshi takes great care of my health. So today he offered me peda but in a packed box! Friends, Today there is a two-fold joy of inaugurating this new campus of IIT in Dharwad. Hindi is understood in this region. This campus will work to further strengthen the identity of Dharwad. Friends, I was in Mandya before coming here. In Mandya, I had the privilege of dedicating the ‘Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway’ to the people of Karnataka and the country. This expressway will pave the way for Karnataka to be further positioned as a ‘software and technology’ hub of the world. Just a few days ago, several development projects were inaugurated and the foundation stones were laid in Belagavi. Kuvempu Airport was also inaugurated in Shimoga. And, now this new campus of IIT in Dharwad is writing a new chapter in the development journey of Karnataka. As an institute, the high-tech facilities here will inspire IIT-Dharwad to be at par with the best institutes of the world. Friends, This institute is also an example of BJP government’s ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’ motto. Four years ago in February 2019, I had laid the foundation stone of this modern institute. Then the Corona pandemic had struck. There were several obstacles in the completion of the work. But despite that, I am glad that within 4 years, IIT-Dharwad has become a futuristic institute today. From the foundation stone laying to the inauguration, the double engine government works at this very speed and I have a resolve that we will inaugurate every project the foundation stone of which is being laid. The period of ‘laying the foundation stone and forgetting about it’ is gone. Friends, For several decades after independence, we had this idea that if eminent educational institutions expand, their brand will be affected. This mindset has harmed the youth of the country. But now the new India, the young India, is moving forward leaving behind this old thinking. Good quality education should reach everywhere and everyone should get access to it. The greater number of best quality institutes we have, the greater number of people will have access to good quality education. This is the reason why the number of good educational institutes in India is continuously increasing in the last 9 years. We tripled the number of AIIMS. In the 7 decades after independence, there were only 380 medical colleges in the country, whereas 250 medical colleges have been opened in the last 9 years. In these 9 years, many new IIMs and IITs have been opened up in the country. Today’s event is also a symbol of this commitment of the BJP government. Friends, India of the 21st century is moving forward by modernizing its cities. Hubballi-Dharwad was included in the smart city plan by the BJP government. Today, many smart projects have been inaugurated here under this. Besides this, the foundation stone of a sports complex has been laid. As a result of technology, infrastructure and smart governance, this area of Hubballi Dharwad will reach new heights of development in the coming days. Friends, The Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research is also highly trusted throughout Karnataka. Its services are available in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kalaburagi. Today the foundation stone of its new branch has been laid in Hubballi. After it is ready, the people of this area will get a lot of benefits. This region is already a health care hub. Now more people will benefit from the new hospital. Friends, The central and state governments are also working together to provide clean drinking water to Dharwad and its surrounding areas. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the foundation stone of a scheme worth more than Rs 1000 crore has been laid here. Through this, the water of Renuka Sagar reservoir and Malaprabha river will be supplied to more than 1.25 lakh houses through taps. When the new water treatment plant will be ready in Dharwad, it will benefit the people of the entire district. Today the foundation stone of Tuparihalla Flood Damage Control Project has also been laid. With the help of this project, the damage caused by floods can be reduced. Friends, Today I am very happy about one more thing. Karnataka has touched another milestone today in terms of connectivity. And Hubballi is fortunate to bring this glory to Karnataka. Now Siddharoodha Swamiji station has the longest platform in the world. But it’s not just a record; it’s not just an extension of a platform. This is an extension of the thinking with which we give priority to infrastructure. Electrification of Hospet-Hubli-Tinaighat section and upgradation of Hospet station boosts this vision. Coal is transported for industries on a large scale via this route. After the electrification of this line, the dependence on diesel will reduce and the environment will be protected. All these efforts will speed up the economic development of the region and promote tourism. Brothers & Sisters, Good and modern infrastructure is not just pleasing to the eyes, but is also supposed to make life easier. It paves the way for dreams to come true. When we didn’t have good roads, or good hospitals, people of every section of the society and every age group had to face tremendous trouble. But today when modern infrastructure is being built in New India, everyone is getting its benefits. Good roads make it easier for the youth going to school and college. Modern highways benefit farmers, labourers, businessmen, office goers, middle class, everyone. So, everyone wants good-modern infrastructure. And I am glad that for the last 9 years the country has been continuously working to modernize its infrastructure. In the last 9 years, the network of roads has more than doubled in the villages of the country through the PM Sadak Yojana. The National Highway network has expanded by more than 55%. Not only the roads, but today the airport and railways are also expanding unprecedentedly in the country. The number of airports in the country has more than doubled in the last 9 years. Friends, Before the year 2014, there was very little discussion about the internet and India’s digital power in the country. But today India is one of the most powerful digital economies in the world. This happened because we made cheap internet available and took internet to every village. In the last 9 years, on an average, 2.5 lakh broadband connections have been provided every day; 2.5 lakh connections per day! The development of infrastructure is gaining this kind of momentum because today infrastructure is being built according to the needs of the country and the countrymen. Earlier such projects of rail and road were announced based on political gains. We have come up with the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan for the entire country, so that infrastructure can be built at a faster pace wherever needed in the country. Friends, Today, unprecedented work is being done on social infrastructure in the country. Till the year 2014, a large population of the country did not have a pucca house. Our sisters had to suffer a lot due to lack of toilets. The sisters used to spend all their time in arranging wood and water. There was a lack of hospitals for the poor. Treatment in hospitals was expensive. We solved these problems one by one. The poor got their own pucca houses, electricity-gas connections and toilets. Now every house is getting tap water facility. Good hospitals, colleges and universities are being set up near their homes and villages. That is, today we are providing every means to our youth, which will help them to fulfil their resolutions for the coming 25 years. Friends, Today as I have come to the land of Lord Basaveshwara, I feel all the more blessed. Among the many contributions of Lord Basaveshwara, the most prominent is the establishment of Anubhava Mantapa. This democratic system is studied all over the world. And due to things like these, we confidently say that India is not only the largest democracy, but also the mother of democracy. I was fortunate that I got the opportunity to inaugurate the statue of Lord Basaveshwara in London a few years back. Lord Basaveshwara and Anubhava Mantapa symbolize the strong foundation of democracy in London. There is a statue of Lord Basaveshwara in London, but it is unfortunate that questions were raised against India’s democracy in London itself. India’s democracy is rooted in our centuries-old history. No power in the world can harm India’s democratic traditions. Despite this, some people are constantly questioning India’s democracy. Such people are insulting Lord Basaveshwara. Such people are insulting the people of Karnataka, the great tradition of India and the 130 crore well-informed citizens of India. The people of Karnataka also need to be wary of such people. Friends, The way Karnataka has given recognition to India as a tech-future in the past years, it is time to take it further. Karnataka is the engine of Hi-tech India. It is very important for this engine to get the power of the double engine government. Friends, Once again my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the people of Hubballi-Dharwad for the development projects. Say aloud with me – Bharat Mata ki Jai. Raise both hands and say loudly – Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Mata ki Jai. Thank you very much.