PM Narendra Modi today said that the central government had taken a major decision to empower agriculture infrastructure and allotted Rs 1 lakh crores for the same. This special fund set up by the centre would help in the development of modern agriculture infrastructure which will benefit the agriculture mandis too, PM Modi said during his visit to Varanasi on Thursday.
It is pertinent to note here that recently, the Modi government had approved some changes in the guidelines of the Rs 1-lakh-crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to help in the up-gradation of mandis. This move will expand the beneficiary institutions, including Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs). It will allow APMCs to avail credit of up to Rs 2 crore from the Fund to set up cold storage, sorting, grading and assaying units.
There has been apprehension among a section of farmers that mandis will be closed down. But in contrast, the Modi government has been doing everything to strengthen the APMCs, said agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar after the Cabinet meeting on July 9.
PM Modi visits Varanasi to inaugurate projects worth more then Rs 1,500 crores
The Prime Minister visited his constituency today to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various projects related to road, water transport, education, health and tourism, worth more than Rs 1,500 crores. The Prime Minister will also be inaugurating the international cooperation and convention centre, ‘Rudraksh’, that will offer a glimpse of the cultural richness of the ancient city of Kashi.
The two-storey convention centre has come up at the posh Sigra area in Varanasi. Built on 2.87 hectares of land this state of the art convention centre has a seating capacity of 1,200 people. As per officials, as many as 108 Rudraksh have been installed at this convention centre and its roof is shaped like a Shivling.
PM Narendra Modi shared his public address in Varanasi through his official Twitter handle.
Inaugurating development projects in Kashi. https://t.co/0GVaehmP9g
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2021
Addressing the people of his constituency- Varanasi, prior to inaugurating the convention centre, PM Modi lauded Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath for the successful handling of the second wave of Covid-19.
Modi lauds Yogi Adityanath for the upliftment and development of Uttar Pradesh
“Today, Uttar Pradesh is a state that does the maximum number of testings across the country. It is a state that does the maximum number of vaccinations,” PM Modi said.
Further, talking about the Yogi government’s efforts towards the development in Kashi, PM Modi added: “Kashi is becoming a large medical hub of Purvanchal. Today, facilities are being made available in Kashi too for diseases for the treatment of which one had to go to Delhi and Mumbai earlier.”
Kashi is becoming a large medical hub of Purvanchal. Today facilities are being made available in Kashi too for diseases for the treatment of which one had to go to Delhi and Mumbai earlier: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/f0a1b12qQD
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 15, 2021
Speaking about the efforts being made to enhance the tourism sector in Kashi, the PM said that the Ro-Ro vessels facilities which would begin today will help the tourism sector in Kashi thrive further. He informed that even the marginalised boatmen will be provided with better facilities. He said that the governments initiative to convert diesel boats to CNG is a major step to attract tourists as it will bring down the cost significantly and also benefit the environment.
Ro-Ro vessels facilities that begin today will help the tourism sector in Kashi thrive further. Our boatmen are also being given better facilties. Diesel boats are being converted into CNG. This will bring down their expenses, benefit the environment & attract the tourists: PM pic.twitter.com/Q458wIeSFz
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 15, 2021
He also informed that the work of installing over 700 CCTV cameras, LED screens and information wards on ghats is underway. This he said would ensure a massive boost to the tourism sector in Kashi.
Modi furthered praised Yogi Adityanath for giving personal attention to each and every development project undertaken in the state. “Today, Yogi ji himself is working hard. People of Kashi can see how he comes here regularly and inspects every development project and quickens the work. He works like this for the entire state, goes to every district”, said PM Modi lauding the hardworking CM.
Earlier too Centre released funds, but it met hinderances in Lucknow: PM Modi
He added that even before Yogi Adityanath took the helm of the state in 2017, it is not that schemes were not brought for UP or money was not released by the central government for development work in the state. Though swift efforts were made from Delhi, it met hurdles in Lucknow, said Modi, hinting at the misgovernance of the previous Samajwadi government led by Akhilesh Yadav.
He praised Yogi Adityanath for his prompt and consistent effort to make Uttar Pradesh a modern state curbing ‘Mafia raj’ and terrorism. “Today, criminals who cast an eye on women know that they won’t be able to hide from the law in the state”, added Modi.
He (CM Yogi Adityanath) is quickly moving forward in making a modern UP, there is rule of law in UP today. ‘Mafia raj’ and terrorism have been brought under control. Today, criminals who cast an eye on women know that they won’t be able to hide from the law: PM Modi in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/QjJdlpNauw
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 15, 2021
Uttar Pradesh’s handling of the second wave of COVID-19 cases was “unparalleled”, said Modi, expressing his admiration for healthcare and frontline workers of the state and hailing UP for “the maximum number of vaccinations in the country”.
