PM’s address at the launch of various projects in Rajkot, Gujarat
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 25 Feb, 2024

Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Present on the stage are the popular Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Union Minister my colleague Mansukh Mandaviya, Gujarat’s Bharatiya Janata Party President, and my Parliamentary colleague C.R. Patil, along with other dignitaries and my brothers and sisters of Rajkot, Namaskar! A considerable number of individuals from various states across the country have also participated in today’s event. Honourable Chief Ministers, Governors, MLAs, MPs, and Union Ministers have all joined us via video conferencing, and I extend my heartfelt greetings to each one of them. There was a time when major national events were confined to Delhi. However, I have decentralised the Government of India’s activities, bringing them to every corner of the nation, including today’s gathering in Rajkot. This event signifies a new tradition where the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremonies for development projects in multiple cities occur simultaneously. Just a few days ago, I was in Jammu and Kashmir, inaugurating various educational campuses of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IIIT DM Kurnool, IIM Bodhgaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Visakhapatnam, and IIS Kanpur simultaneously from Jammu, and now, from Rajkot, we’re inaugurating AIIMS Rajkot, AIIMS Rae Bareli, AIIMS Mangalagiri, AIIMS Bathinda, AIIMS Kalyani simultaneously, reflecting our commitment to fast-paced development and the development of Bharat. Friends, Being in Rajkot today brings back many memories. Yesterday marked a special milestone in my life. Rajkot holds significant importance in my political journey, as 22 years ago, on 24th February, the city blessed me by electing me as its MLA for the first time. On 25th February, I took oath as an MLA from Rajkot in the Gandhinagar Assembly for the first time. I am deeply indebted to the people of Rajkot for their unwavering love and trust. After 22 years, I can proudly say that I have strived to honour that trust to the best of my abilities. Today, the entire nation is bestowing immense love and blessings, and Rajkot rightfully shares in this recognition. On this occasion, as the NDA government receives nationwide endorsement for the third consecutive term, with an unprecedented level of trust in ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’, I humbly express my gratitude to every Rajkot resident. It’s evident that while generations may change, the affection for Modi transcends all age barriers. I view this support as a debt, one that I endeavour to repay with interest through our developmental efforts. Friends, I extend my sincere apologies to all of you, as well as to the honourable Chief Ministers and citizens across different states, for my delay in arriving here today, causing you to wait. However, the delay was due to my visit to Dwarka, where I sought the blessings of Bhagwan Dwarkadhish and inaugurated the Sudarshan Bridge connecting Dwarka to Bet Dwarka. This visit not only helped me to serve Dwarka but also provided me with a profound spiritual experience. Dwarka, believed to have been founded by Lord Shri Krishna himself, now lies submerged under the sea. Today, I had the privilege of witnessing this ancient city’s remnants underwater, paying homage, and briefly immersing myself in the worship of Lord Shri Krishna. This longstanding desire of mine has finally been fulfilled. Learning about Dwarka from ancient scriptures and archaeological discoveries has always filled me with awe. Experiencing it firsthand, submerged in the sea, and touching its sacred grounds was an immensely emotional moment for me. Besides the worship, I also offered peacock feathers there. As I immersed myself, I reflected on Bharat’s rich heritage and its remarkable journey of development. Emerging from the sea, I carried not only the blessings of Lord Krishna but also newfound inspiration from Dwarka. Today, my commitment to development and preservation of heritage has been revitalized, infused with divine faith towards achieving a developed Bharat. Friends, Today, both you and the entire country have witnessed projects worth over Rs. 48 thousand crores. The foundation stone for the New Mundra-Panipat Pipeline Project has been laid, enabling direct transportation of crude oil from Gujarat to Haryana’s refinery via pipelines. Today, numerous facilities have been provided to the entire Saurashtra region, including Rajkot, encompassing roads, bridges, railway line doubling, electricity, healthcare, and education. Following the inauguration of the International Airport, Rajkot now welcomes AIIMS, marking a significant milestone. Congratulations to Rajkot, Saurashtra, and entire Gujarat, and all citizens in areas where AIIMS facilities are being dedicated today. Friends, Today marks a historic milestone not only for Rajkot and Gujarat but for the entire nation. We’re witnessing a glimpse of what the health sector of the world’s 5th largest economy should resemble, setting a benchmark for healthcare facilities in a developed Bharat. For 50 years post-independence, there was only one AIIMS in Delhi, and despite approvals, even those remained incomplete. Yet, within the past ten days alone, we’ve laid the foundation stones and inaugurated seven new AIIMS. That is why I keep saying that we are developing the country many times faster than the last 6-7 decades and are committed to the people of the country. Today, more than 200 healthcare infrastructure projects have had their foundation stones laid or been inaugurated in 23 states and union territories, including medical colleges and satellite centres of major hospitals, catering to treatment of serious illnesses. Friends, The country’s confidence in Modi’s guarantee stems from the fulfillment of promises. The inauguration of AIIMS facilities serves as a testament to this guarantee. Three years ago, I promised Rajkot its first AIIMS by laying the foundation stone, and today, I’ve fulfilled that promise. Similarly, I guaranteed AIIMS facilities for Punjab, laying the foundation stone for Bathinda AIIMS, which is now inaugurated. Your servant fulfilled the guarantee. Rae Bareli in UP received its AIIMS, fulfilling another commitment made five years ago. The royal family of Congress only engaged in politics in Rae Bareli but Modi did the actual work. Kalyani AIIMS in West Bengal and Mangalagiri AIIMS in Andhra Pradesh were also inaugurated, keeping true to our promises. Just a few days ago, on 16th February, the foundation stone for Rewari AIIMS in Haryana was laid, another promise fulfilled. Over the past decade, our government has approved ten new AIIMS across the country, bringing modern healthcare facilities closer to the people. Sometimes the people of the states used to get tired of demanding AIIMS from the Central Government. Today, a number of modern hospitals and medical colleges like AIIMS are opening in the country one after the other. This track record reaffirms the belief that where others falter, Modi’s guarantee prevails. Friends, The global discourse today revolves around how Bharat conquered the Corona pandemic. This achievement is attributed to the comprehensive transformation of Bharat’s healthcare system over the past decade. During this time, there has been an unparalleled expansion of AIIMS, medical colleges, and critical care infrastructure. We have established over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in every village to address minor ailments, a significant leap from a decade ago. 10 years ago, the number of medical colleges has surged from around 380-390 to 706, with MBBS seats increasing from around 50 thousand to over 1 lakh. Similarly, postgraduate medical seats have risen from around 30 thousand to over 70 thousand during these 10 years. The influx of young doctors in Bharat in the coming years surpasses the cumulative number created in the 70 years post-independence. Presently, the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, valued at Rs 64 thousand crores, is underway in the country. Today, we laid the foundation stones and inaugurated numerous medical colleges, hospitals, research centres for TB treatment, satellite centers of PGI, critical care blocks, and various other projects. Additionally, several ESIC hospitals have been handed over to the states. Friends, Our government’s focus also extends to disease prevention and enhancing disease-fighting capabilities. We’ve emphasized nutrition, Yoga-Ayush, and cleanliness to prevent diseases, promoting both traditional Indian medicine and modern medicine. Today, two significant hospitals and research centres dedicated to Yoga and Naturopathy have been inaugurated in Maharashtra and Haryana. Furthermore, Gujarat is home to the forthcoming WHO global centre related to traditional medical systems. Friends, Our government’s ongoing endeavour is to ensure that both the poor and the middle class receive improved healthcare without depleting their savings. Thanks to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the poor have been spared an expenditure of Rs 1 lakh crore. Additionally, access to medicines at an 80% discount through Jan Aushadhi Kendras has saved the poor and middle class from spending Rs 30 thousand crores. This indicates that the government has not only preserved lives but also relieved the financial burden on the poor and middle class. Furthermore, under the Ujjwala Yojana, poor families have collectively saved over Rs 70 thousand crore. The provision of affordable data by our government has led to monthly savings of around Rs 4000 for every mobile user. Tax-related reforms have also resulted in savings of approximately Rs 2.5 lakh crore for taxpayers. Friends, Our government has now introduced another scheme aimed at further augmenting the savings of many families in the years to come. We are striving to reduce electricity bills to zero while simultaneously generating income for households through electricity production. Through the PM Surya Ghar scheme, a free electricity scheme, we aim to assist people across the country in saving and earning. Participants in this scheme will receive free electricity up to 300 units, and the government will purchase any additional electricity and compensate the households accordingly. Friends, While we empower every family to become a producer of solar energy, we are also establishing large-scale solar and wind energy plants. Today, we have laid the foundation stones for two major solar projects and one wind energy project in Kutch, further enhancing Gujarat’s capacity in renewable energy production. Friends, Rajkot, our city of entrepreneurs, labourers, and artisans, plays a significant role in building a self-reliant Bharat. Many of these individuals who were neglected before are being acknowledged and supported for the first time under Modi’s regime. For the first time in the nation’s history, a nationwide scheme has been devised for our Vishwakarma friends. Thus far, lakhs of people have enrolled in the PM Vishwakarma scheme, amounting to Rs 13 thousand crore. This initiative aids in enhancing their skills and advancing their businesses. In Gujarat alone, over 20 thousand individuals have undergone training under this scheme, with each Vishwakarma beneficiary receiving assistance of up to Rs 15,000. Friends, You are aware of the significant role of the sonar (goldsmith) community in Rajkot. Those involved in this profession have also benefitted from the Vishwakarma Scheme. Friends, For the first time, the PM SVANidhi scheme has been introduced for lakhs of our street vendors. So far, assistance worth approximately Rs 10 thousand crore has been provided to these individuals under this scheme. Here in Gujarat, street vendors have also received assistance amounting to around Rs 800 crore. You can understand how the BJP is honouring these street vendors who were previously marginalized. In Rajkot alone, more than 30 thousand loans have been disbursed under the PM SVANidhi Yojana. Friends, Empowering these individuals strengthens the mission of a developed Bharat. When Modi pledges to elevate Bharat to the rank of the third-largest economic superpower, his aim is to ensure health and prosperity for all. These projects inaugurated today across the country will bolster our commitment, and it is with this aspiration that we received such a warm welcome from you right from the Airport. We had the opportunity to greet many old colleagues today after several years, which was truly heartening. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the BJP colleagues in Rajkot. Let us continue to progress together to organize such significant programmes and realize the vision of a developed Bharat. Congratulations to all of you. Let us all say together – Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Bharat Mata ki Jai! Thank you very much!