PM’s address at laying of foundation stone/ inauguration of various Project at Varanasi
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 07 Jul, 2023

Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat Mata ki Jai, Har Har Mahadev! Mata Annapurna ki Jai! Ganga Maiya ki Jai! Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath ji, my colleagues in the Union Cabinet, all ministers of the UP government, MPs and MLAs, beneficiaries of various schemes, and my dear brothers and sisters of Kashi. With the beginning of the month of Sawan … with the blessings of Baba Vishwanath and Mother Ganga and the company of the people of Banaras, life becomes truly blessed. I know that nowadays people in Kashi are very busy, and the hustle bustle in Kashi is increasing day by day. Thousands of Shiva devotees from all over the country and the world are reaching here every day to offer water to Baba, and this time the duration of the Sawan period is even longer. Consequently, it is certain that a record number of devotees will come for Baba’s ‘darshan’. But along with all this, one thing is certain. Now, whoever comes to Banaras, they will return happily! I don’t worry much about so many people coming and how everything will be managed in Banaras. The people of Kashi teach me; I cannot teach them anything. During the G-20 summit, so many people from all over the world came to Banaras. The people of Kashi gave them such a grand welcome and managed everything so well that today you and Kashi are being praised all over the world. And that is why I know that the people of Kashi will handle everything. You have made Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the entire surroundings so magnificent that anyone who is coming here is leaving feeling overwhelmed. It was Baba’s wish that we became instrumental in fulfilling it. This is the good fortune of all of us. Brothers and sisters, Today, Uttar Pradesh, including Kashi, has been gifted with projects worth about Rs 12,000 crore. This is an extension of the resolution we have taken for complete transformation while maintaining the soul of Kashi. They include projects related to railways, roads, water, education, and tourism, as well as projects related to the redevelopment of ghats (riverfront steps). Many congratulations to all of you for these development works. Friends, Just a while ago, I had a conversation with the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The biggest complaint people had with the previous governments was that they used to make plans while sitting in air-conditioned rooms. The impact of these schemes on the ground was unknown to the governments at that time. However, the BJP government has engaged in dialogue, communication, and meetings with the beneficiaries, initiating a new tradition. This means that the benefits are now provided directly, and feedback is also obtained directly. The advantage of this is that every government department and officer started understanding their responsibilities. Now, there is no chance for anyone to escape scrutiny. Friends, The parties that have run corrupt and ineffective governments in the past are shocked when they hear the name of beneficiaries. After so many years of independence, the true benefits democracy have are now available to the actual beneficiaries in the right way. Otherwise, earlier in the name of democracy, the interests of only a few people were served, and the poor were ignored. The beneficiary class has become an example of true social justice and true secularism in the BJP government. We are putting all our efforts to identify the real beneficiaries of every scheme, reach out to them, and ensure they receive the benefits of all the schemes. Do you know what is the biggest benefit of this? What happens when the government itself is reaching the people? The shops of those who used to take commissions are now closed. The shops of middlemen are closed. The shops of those who used to engage in corruption are closed. In other words, there is no discrimination and no corruption. Friends, In the past nine years, we have not made schemes for just one family or one generation, but we have also worked with the future generations in mind and improving their future prospects. For example, there is a housing scheme for the poor. So far, more than four crore families in the country have received pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Even today, around 4.5 lakh poor families in Uttar Pradesh have been provided with permanent homes. This is a great blessing from Lord Mahadev during the month of Sawan. Friends, When these homes are provided to the poor, their major worries are over, and a sense of security emerges within them. Those who receive these homes experience a newfound sense of pride and energy. When a child grows up in such a home, his aspirations are also different. And let me remind you repeatedly, the majority of the houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are registered in the names of women. Today, the value of these houses is worth several lakhs of rupees. There are crores of sisters in whose name a property has been registered for the first time. The sisters from these poor families truly understand the guarantee of financial security that they have received. Friends, The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is not limited to providing free treatment up to 5 lakh rupees alone. Its impact extends to several generations. When a serious illness befalls a poor family, someone’s education gets affected, someone has to start working at a young age, and the wife also has to go out to earn a living. The burden of a serious illness can cause many years to pass without the children being able to get married, as the financial situation deteriorates due to the illness. And the poor are left with only two options. Either they see their loved ones struggling for life before their eyes, or they sell their property and land to take a loan from someone for medical treatment. When properties are sold, the debt burden increases, affecting future generations. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is saving the poor from this crisis today. That is why I am trying hard to ensure that the Ayushman card reaches the beneficiaries in mission mode. Even today, the distribution of Ayushman Bharat cards has begun for one crore sixty lakh beneficiaries from here. Brothers and sisters, The deprived and the poor have the biggest right on the resources of the country. Previously, access to banks was limited only to the rich people. For the poor, it was believed that if they don’t have money, what will they do with a bank account? Some people used to think how will they be able to secure a bank loan in the absence of any guarantee? The BJP government has changed this mindset as well in the last nine years. We have opened the doors of banks for everyone. We have opened nearly 50 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts. Under the Mudra Yojana, loans ranging from 50,000 to 10 lakh rupees have been provided without collateral. Even here in Uttar Pradesh, crores of beneficiaries have started their businesses by availing the benefits of the Mudra Yojana. The poor, Dalits, backward communities, tribal communities, minority families and women entrepreneurs have benefited the most. This is social justice, which is being guaranteed by the BJP government. Friends, Most of our friends who run small businesses on carts, stalls and footpaths belong to the deprived society. But the previous governments neglected them and they were subjected to humiliation and harassment. Anybody abuses and scolds those who run small businesses on carts, stalls and footpaths. But Modi, being the son of a poor mother, cannot tolerate this insult. Therefore, I have launched the PM-SVANidhi scheme for the street vendors. We have provided them with respect and urged banks to support them under the PM-SVANidhi scheme. The guarantee for the loans provided to the footpath vendors is given by the government itself. So far, financial assistance to more than 35 lakh beneficiaries has been approved under the PM-SVANidhi scheme. Even here in Banaras, over 1.25 beneficiaries have been given loans under this scheme today. With this loan, they will be able to progress in their work and expand their businesses. No one will dare to insult or look down upon them anymore. Ensuring dignity to the poor is Modi’s guarantee. Friends, The governments that ruled the country for decades had corruption ingrained in their administration. And when this happens, no matter how much money is allocated, it falls short. Corruption and nepotism thrived under the previous governments before 2014. Whenever it came to the budget, there was only an excuse of deficits and losses. Today, there is no shortage of budget whether it’s welfare for the poor or infrastructure development. The taxpayers are the same and the system is also the same.  But the government has changed, the intentions have changed, and the results are visible. Previously, newspapers were filled with reports of corruption and scams. Now, the headlines are dominated by the inauguration and unveiling of new projects. Indian Railways is the biggest example of transformation in the last nine years. The plan for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, dedicated tracks for freight transportation, was initiated in 2006. But not even a kilometer of track was laid till 2014. Not even a kilometer. A significant portion of this project has been completed in the last nine years. Goods trains are already running on these tracks. Even today, the new Son Nagar section from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction has been inaugurated. This will not only increase the speed of goods trains but also create numerous employment opportunities in the Purvanchal and eastern India. Friends, Let me give you another example of how it works when the intention is clear. The country has always desired high-speed trains. For the first time, the Rajdhani Express was introduced in the country about 50 years ago. Rajdhani Express started running. However, even after so many years, these Rajdhani Express trains have only been operational on 16 routes. Similarly, about 30-35 years ago, the Shatabdi Express was launched, but even after all these years, it only serves 19 routes. Amidst these trains, there is a Vande Bharat Express, and Banaras is proud to have the country’s first Vande Bharat. This train has commenced operations on 25 routes within four years. Today itself, two new Vande Bharat Express trains have been flagged off from Gorakhpur—one train from Gorakhpur to Lucknow and the other from Ahmedabad to Jodhpur. This Vande Bharat Express train has become incredibly popular among the middle class of the country, and demands for it are pouring in from all corners. The day is not far when Vande Bharat will connect every nook and corner of the country. Brothers and sisters, In the last nine years, incredible work has been done to enhance the connectivity of Kashi. The development projects here are also creating numerous new employment opportunities. For instance, more than 70 million tourists and pilgrims visited Kashi last year. Within just one year, the number of tourists visiting Kashi increased by 12 times. With a 12-fold increase in tourist arrivals, the direct beneficiaries are the rickshaw pullers, shopkeepers, and those running small eateries and hotels. Whether you are involved in the business of Banarasi sarees or Banarasi paan, my brothers, everyone is benefiting greatly from this. The increase in tourism has been a significant advantage for our boatmen. I am amazed to see the huge crowd on the boats even during the evening Ganga Aarti (prayer ritual). Please continue to take care of Banaras in the same way. Friends, With the blessings of Baba (Lord Shiva), the journey of Varanasi’s rapid development will continue. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Kashi. Recently, municipal elections were held in Kashi. You all supported the journey of development, ensured victory of those who believe in development, and you have contributed towards establishing good governance in Kashi. As your representative in Parliament, I am truly grateful for your support. Once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you on the progress made in developmental works, and on the auspicious occasion of the holy month of Sawan, I convey my best wishes to all of you. Har Har Mahadev!