Thiruvananthapuram : The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various development projects valued more than Rs 3,200 crores at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on Tuesday, April 25.. 

The projects include the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram, the dedication of the Kochi Water Metro to the nation, and the laying of the first stone for a number of rail projects. The first Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod in Kerala was launched off earlier in the day by the prime minister.

The Prime Minister addressed the crowd and wished everyone a happy Vishu. The Prime Minister emphasised that a number of initiatives relating to the growth and connectivity of Kerala have been announced today, including the first Vande Bharat Express for the state, the first water metro in Kochi, and many railway expansions. He expressed his gratitude to Keralans for their development initiatives.

The prime minister added that the hard work and courtesy of Keralans give them a special identity when speaking about the state's education and awareness levels. The potential of India's development is acknowledged globally, He siad, and the people of Kerala are capable of comprehending the global situation and can appreciate how India is seen as a lively point of development in spite of challenging circumstances.

The Prime Minister attributed the international community's confidence in India to a decisive central government that acts swiftly and decisively for the benefit of the nation, the unprecedented investments made in bolstering and modernising India's infrastructure, investments made to improve the skill set of the youth, and finally the central government's dedication to ease of living and ease of doing business. He continued by saying that the government places a strong emphasis on cooperative federalism and sees state development as contributing to national growth. "We take a service-oriented approach to our work. Only if Kerala advances will the nation as a whole advance more quickly, the Prime Minister said.   

The outreach initiatives of the central government, which have helped the Keralites who live overseas are one of the factors contributing to the country's rising prominence. He claimed that India's expanding power is substantially benefiting the Indian diaspora, he said.l

The work on broadband infrastructure has reportedly been done at an unparalleled pace and scale during the past nine years, he said.  He alsol disclosed that it is planned to spend more than 10 lakh crore on infrastructure in this year's budget as well. "The country is undergoing a major transformation in the public transport and logistics sectors. He declared, "We are approaching the heyday of Indian railways, and the average rail budget before 2014 has increased fivefold currently.

The Prime Minister highlighted the work done in relation to gauge conversion, track doubling, and electrification of railway tracks when he discussed the improvements in railroads carried out in Kerala over the previous nine years. The reconstruction of three significant railway stations in Kerala has begun, he said, with the goal of turning it into a centre for multimodal transportation. The Prime Minister stated that the "Vande Bharat Express is the identity of aspirational India" and praised India's evolving rail system for making it feasible to operate such semi-high speed trains with ease.

AThe  prime minister said, all of the Vande Bharat trains up to this point have connected important tourist, religious, and cultural destinations. "North and South Kerala will be connected by the first Vande Bharat train in Kerala. he said , the railway will make it easier to get to holy locations like Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kannur. He also discussed how modern trains are better for the environment. The Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur segment is now being prepared for semi-high speed trains, the Prime Minister announced. The Prime Minister continued by saying that once it is finished, Thiruvananthapuram to Mangluru semi-high speed train service will be feasible.

The objective is to offer Made in India solutions that meet regional infrastructure needs. He provided a variety of options to demonstrate situation-specific connectivity options, including a semi-hybrid train, a ropeway, a Ro-Ro ferry, and a Regional Rapid Transport System. He also emphasised the Made in India Vande Bharat and Metro coaches' local roots. In smaller cities, he also mentioned urban ropeways and the Metro-Lite project, he said.

The Kochi Shipyard was commended by the Prime Minister for the building of ports for the Kochi Water Metro, which he emphasised is a Made in India initiative. He said, the Kochi Water Metro will provide intermodal connection between the bus terminal and the metro network while also making contemporary, affordable modes of transit available to those who live in the nearby islets of Kochi. In addition to reducing traffic in the metropolis, the prime minister stated that it will help the state's backwater tourism industry. He expressed his belief that the Kochi Water Metro will serve as a national example for other states. 

Shri Modi reaffirmed that the nation places a high importance on both physical and digital connections. He claimed that initiatives like Thiruvananthapuram's Digital Science Park will boost Digital India. He emphasised the respect the world has for India's digital infrastructure. He said, "5G developed domestically will create new opportunities in the sector."

The Prime Minister emphasised that the investments made in connectivity not only broaden the range of services but also shorten travel times and bridge cultural gaps without separating the privileged from the poor based on caste or creed. In addition to strengthening the spirit of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat," he emphasised that this is the proper model of growth that can be seen throughout India.

Kerala  has a lot to give both the nation and the rest of the globe. The Prime Minister noted that Kerala's culture, cuisine, and climate all naturally contain the seeds of wealth. The Prime Minister mentioned the recent G20 summit in Kumarakom when he noted that such occasions increase Kerala's exposure on a worldwide scale, he said.

The prime minister cited well-known Keralan Shri Annas (millets) like Ragi Pattu. Everyone was urged by Shri Modi to speak out in favour of regional goods and produce. The route of Viksit Bharat would become stronger once our products are sold on international markets, he predicted.

The prime minister claimed that, when discussing the accomplishments of citizens for the Mann Ki Baat Programme, he regularly brought up the things Keralan self-help groups had produced to support "Vocal for Local." He stated that "Mann Ki Baat" will air its 100th episode on Sunday in honour of all citizens who have contributed to the growth of the country and in keeping with the ethos of "Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat." The Prime Minister finished by emphasising that everyone must dedicate themselves to creating a Viksit Bharat.

Among those present at the event were the Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, the Union Ministers of State, Shri V. Muraleedharan and Ashwini Vaishnaw, as well as the Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Dr. Shashi Tharoor.

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