The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various developmental projects worth more than Rs 16,800 crores in Deoghar. Governor Jharkhand, Shri Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Shri Hemant Soren, Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, State ministers and people’s representatives were among those present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that with the blessings of Baba Baidyanath, projects worth more than Rs 16,000 crore have been inaugurated and the foundation stone has been laid. These projects are going to give a huge impetus to Jharkhand's modern connectivity, energy, health, faith and tourism.
The Prime Minister remarked that for the last eight years, the country has been working towards the objective of developing the nation through the development of it‘s states. This thinking has been paramount in the efforts to connect Jharkhand by highways, railways, airways, waterways, over the last eight years. All these facilities and projects will have a positive impact on the economic development of the state.
The Prime Minister said that Jharkhand is getting its second airport. This will tremendously ease travel for devotees of Baba Baidyanath. In the context of making air travel affordable for the common man through the UDAN scheme, the Prime Minister noted that the benefits of the efforts of the government are now visible across the country. About 70 new locations have been added through airports, heliports and water aerodromes in the last 5-6 years under the UDAN scheme. Today, ordinary citizens are getting the facility of air travel on more than 400 new routes. More than 1 crore people have experienced very affordable air travel, many for the first time. The Prime Minister expressed happiness at the maiden flight from Deoghar to Kolkata and flights for Ranchi, Delhi and Patna would start soon. Work is on for airports in Bokaro and Dumka, he said.
The Prime Minister said along with connectivity, the central government is also focussing on the creation of facilities at important places related to faith and spirituality in the country. Modern facilities have also been expanded in Baba Baidyanath Dham under the PRASAD scheme. When a holistic approach guides the projects, new avenues of income come for various segments of the society and new facilities create new opportunities.