PM’s address at the launch of various projects in Azamgarh, UP
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 10 Mar, 2024

Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Present on the stage are Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath ji, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya ji, State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party and member of the Legislative Council Shri Bhupendra Chaudhary ji, all hon’ble ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Members of Parliament, other dignitaries, and my dear brothers and sisters of Azamgarh. Today, the star of Azamgarh is shining brightly. There was a time when other states of the country would join it if there was an event in Delhi. Today, an event is taking place in Azamgarh and thousands of people from different parts of the country are connected with us. I welcome and greet all those thousands of people who have joined us. Friends, Today, many development projects are being inaugurated here for the development of not only Azamgarh, but for the entire country. Azamgarh, which was once considered a backward area of the country, is now scripting a new chapter of development for the nation. Projects worth approximately 34,000 crore rupees have either been launched or inaugurated for several states from Azamgarh today. Along with Azamgarh, new terminal buildings have been inaugurated at airports in Shravasti, Moradabad, Chitrakoot, Aligarh, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Lucknow, Pune, Kolhapur, Delhi, and Adampur. The pace at which work has been completed for these terminals is exemplified by the Vijayaraje Scindia Airport in Gwalior, which was completed in just 16 months. Today, foundation stones have also been laid for new terminal buildings at airports in Kadapa, Belagavi, and Hubli. All these efforts will make air travel more convenient and accessible for the common people of the country. But friends, For the past several days, I have been inaugurating numerous projects from the same location across the country due to the constraints of time. And when people hear about so many airports, railway stations, airports, IIMs, AIIMS all being developed simultaneously in the country, they are amazed. Sometimes, those who used to hold onto old ways of thinking try to fit this also into their preconceived notions. And what do they say? Oh, this is the election season! What used to happen earlier during the election season? People in the previous governments would announce schemes just to hoodwink the public. Sometimes they were so audacious that they would even announce new railway schemes in Parliament. No one would question them afterward. And when I analysed it, I found that announcements were made 30-35 years ago, sometimes they would lay the foundation stones before elections and after that they would disappear. The stones too would disappear and so would be the leaders. It was just about making announcements. And I remember whenever I announced or laid the foundation stone of any project in 2019, the first headline would always be, “Look, this is because of the elections.” Today, the country is witnessing that Modi is a man of his word. The projects that we launched in 2019 were not for the sake of elections. Today, you can see them being implemented and inaugurated. Please don’t see these projects through the lens of elections in 2024. This is the campaign of my endless journey of development, and I am running with swift pace towards the resolution of building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) by 2047, pushing the country at a fast pace, my friends. The people from all over the country connected today can see the love and affection from Azamgarh. I see that more people are enduring the heat of the sun than those seated inside the tent. This love is incredible. Friends, Along with infrastructure related to airports, highways, and railways, we have also accelerated development projects related to education, water, and environmental conservation in Azamgarh. I extend my congratulations to the people of Uttar Pradesh and all the states of the country for these development projects. I especially express gratitude to the people of Azamgarh who have come in such large numbers to bless us. And my dear brothers and sisters of Azamgarh, let me tell you one more guarantee from Modi? Should I tell you? Look, today’s Azamgarh is not just the Azamgarh of yesterday; it is now a citadel, it will remain the fortress of development for eternity. This fortress of development will remain till eternity. This is Modi’s guarantee, my friends. Friends, Today, a new history is being written in Azamgarh. Today everyone is very happy right from those who are living in Azamgarh to those who are settled abroad from here. This is not the first time; even earlier, when I inaugurated the Purvanchal Expressway, everyone in Azamgarh kept saying that now, after landing in Lucknow, we can reach here in just two and a half hours. Now, Azamgarh has got its own airport. Apart from that, due to the establishment of a medical college and a university, there is less need to go to Banaras for education and medical treatment. Friends, Your love and the development of Azamgarh are disturbing the sleep of the INDI alliance relying on casteism, nepotism, and vote banks. Purvanchal has witnessed politics of casteism and appeasement for decades. And this region has also seen the politics of development in the last 10 years, and it has gained further momentum under Yogi ji’s leadership for the past 7 years. The people here have also seen the dangers of mafia raj and extremism, and now they are witnessing the rule of law. Today, cities like Aligarh, Moradabad, Chitrakoot, and Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh, which were once considered small and backward cities, have received new airport terminals. No one used to take care of these cities. Now, even air services are starting from here because rapid development is happening in these cities, and industrial activities are expanding here. Just as our government has extended welfare schemes beyond metro cities to small towns and rural areas, we are also taking modern infrastructure projects to small towns and villages. Small towns deserve good airports and highways as much as big metro cities. The rapid urbanization happening in Bharat, which should have been planned 30 years ago, did not happen. Keeping that in mind, we are strengthening Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities so that urbanization doesn’t stop and becomes an opportunity. This is the direction in which we are working. “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Collective Efforts, Inclusive Growth) is the fundamental mantra of the double-engine government’s vision. Friends, Today, Azamgarh, Mau, and Ballia have received the gift of several railway projects. Additionally, development of Azamgarh railway station is also underway. Inaugurations and ground-breaking ceremonies of railway projects connected to Sitapur, Shahjahanpur, Ghazipur, Prayagraj, Azamgarh, and many other districts have also taken place. Inaugurations and ground-breaking ceremonies of several highways, including Prayagraj-Raebareli, Prayagraj-Chakeri, and Shamli-Panipat, have also been done just now. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, more than 5,000 kilometers of roads have been inaugurated. This increasing connectivity is paving the way for a bright future for the farmers, youth, and entrepreneurs of Purvanchal. Friends, Our government’s priority is to ensure that farmers get the right price for their produce. Today, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) being offered has increased significantly compared to before. There has been an 8% increase in remunerative prices this year for sugarcane farmers. Now, the remunerative price for sugarcane has increased from Rs. 315 to Rs. 340 per quintal. Azamgarh is counted among the sugarcane belts. Do you remember how the government used to treat sugarcane farmers in the previous administrations in Uttar Pradesh? They used to torment them. Their money used to be withheld and sometimes not even paid. It is the BJP government that has cleared thousands of crores in dues owed to sugarcane farmers. Today, sugarcane farmers are getting the right price for their crops in time. The government has also extended its support to sugarcane farmers in other new areas. Ethanol is being produced from sugarcane to mix in petrol. Biogas is being produced from crop residue. Uttar Pradesh has also witnessed the closure of sugar mills due to the sale of sugar at low prices. Now, sugar mills are opening up again, and the fate of sugarcane farmers is changing. The central government, which is providing the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, has also benefited farmers here. Nearly 8 lakh farmers alone in Azamgarh have received Rs. 2,000 crore from the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. Friends, Such rapid development on such a large scale is only possible when the government works with the right intentions and honesty. Development projects on such a large scale were impossible in corrupt family-oriented governments. In previous administrations, not only did Azamgarh and Purvanchal face the pain of backwardness, but they also did not refrain from tarnishing the region’s image during that time. Yogi ji has described it very well; I am not repeating it. The protection given to terrorism and muscle power by previous governments has been seen by the entire country. The double-engine government is continuously working to change this situation and provide new opportunities to the youth here. In our government, the foundation stone for Maharaja Suheldev Rajya Vishwavidyalaya was laid, and its inauguration has also been done. For a long time, the youth of Azamgarh Mandal had to go to Banaras, Gorakhpur, or Prayagraj for education. I understand the financial burden on parents when they have to send their children to study in other cities. Now, this university in Azamgarh will make higher education easier for our youth. Now children from Azamgarh, Mau, Ghazipur, and many other districts around it will be able to pursue education from this university. Now tell me, will this university benefit Azamgarh, Mau, and the surrounding areas? Will it or not? Friends, Uttar Pradesh not only influences the politics of the country but is also determining the direction of the country’s development. Both the image and destiny of Uttar Pradesh have changed since the double-engine government came to power in UP. Today, Uttar Pradesh is among the top-performing states in implementing central schemes. I am not saying this because I am a Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh; the numbers speak for themselves, and reality tells us that today Uttar Pradesh has stepped forward in the forefront. In recent years, the double-engine government has carried out development works worth lakhs of crores of rupees in Uttar Pradesh. This has not only transformed the infrastructure of UP but has also created millions of new opportunities for the youth. Today, UP’s identity is being shaped by the record investment coming into the state. Today, UP’s identity is being built from ground-breaking ceremonies. Today, UP’s identity is being established through the network of expressways and highways. Discussions about UP now revolve around better law and order. The centuries-old wait for the magnificent Ram temple in Ayodhya has also been fulfilled. Tourism in UP has seen rapid growth due to the development of Ayodhya, Banaras, Mathura, and Kushinagar, benefiting the entire state. And this was the guarantee given by Modi 10 years ago. Today, that guarantee is being fulfilled with your blessings. Friends, As Uttar Pradesh touches new heights of development, the venom of appeasement is also losing its strength. In the last election, the people of Azamgarh showed that where the family considered their stronghold, a young man like Dinesh brought it down. Therefore, those inclined towards dynastic politics are continuously cursing Modi every day. These people are saying that Modi does not have his own family. They forget that Modi’s family is the 1.4 billion people of the country; this is Modi’s family. And that’s why voices are echoing from every corner of India, everyone is saying – I am Modi’s family! I am Modi’s family! I am Modi’s family! I am Modi’s family! This time too, Azamgarh should not lag behind in the complete sweep of Uttar Pradesh. And I know very well that when Azamgarh wishes for something, it fulfils it. Therefore, I urge everyone from this land, from what the country is saying, what Uttar Pradesh is saying, what Azamgarh is saying. I am calling upon that only. This time… beyond 400 (seats)! This time… beyond 400 (seats)! This time… beyond 400 (seats)! This time… beyond 400 (seats)! I extend my heartfelt wishes to the people of all regions for today’s development works. The multitude of development projects launched today marks the first time in the history of Azamgarh. This is a festival of development. I urge you all. Will you listen to me? If you heed my words, let everyone speak loudly, only then I will tell you. Will you listen to me? Will you do it? Alright, let’s do this, first take out your mobile phones, turn on the flashlights of your mobile phones, everyone turn on the flashlights of your mobile phones, even those on the stage, if they have mobile phones, turn on the flashlights of your mobile phones. Look, this is a celebration of development, this is the celebration of progress, this is the resolution of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and this is the resolution of ‘Viksit Azamgarh’. Say it with me – Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Thank you very much.