Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (17th December). He reached Varanasi from Surat and will stay till 18th December. During his two-day visit, the PM will inaugurate Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 at Namo Ghat. The Prime Minister will also flag off the Kanyakumari-Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train on the occasion. He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects, worth about Rs 19,150 crore.
Hon'ble PM @narendramodi ji will inaugurate #KashiTamilSangamam at 5pm on 17th December, 2023. Join in as he celebrates the cultural legacy and living bonds of #Kashi and #TamilNadu.✨
— Kashi Tamil Sangamam (@KTSangamam) December 16, 2023
Let's cherish our shared roots and the diverse expressions of our nation!🤝#VanakkamKashi pic.twitter.com/ktHwj6XYqP
The Prime Minister will take part in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra at the Cutting Memorial School ground in Varanasi. The Prime Minister will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes like PM Awas, PM SVANidhi, and PM Ujjwala. On 18th December, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the newly-built Swarved Mahamandir at Umraha in Varanasi. He will also address the devotees of the Mahamandir on this occasion.
Tomorrow evening onwards, I will be among my sisters and brothers of Kashi. I will take part in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra and later will inaugurate the @KTSangamam, a landmark forum that celebrates our unique cultural traditions and diversity.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2023
Later, the Prime Minister will participate in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra at Sewapuri, a rural area in his parliamentary constituency. After watching some of the sports programmes of the participants of the Kashi Sansad Sports Competition 2023, he will also interact with the winners of the event. During the event, he will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the second edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam at ‘Namo Ghat,’ located in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, on Sunday. Additionally, he will also ceremoniously flag off the Kanyakumari-Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train.
The cultural festival is scheduled to take place from 17th December to 30th December. The initial group of the Tamil delegation embarked on their journey from Chennai on 15th December. Anticipated to include nearly 1,400 participants, organised into seven groups of 200 individuals each, the delegation comprises people from diverse backgrounds hailing from various regions of Tamil Nadu. As outlined in their tour itinerary, along with Kashi, they are scheduled to visit Prayagraj and Ayodhya as part of their travel plans.
#VanakkamKashi 🙏
— Kashi Tamil Sangamam (@KTSangamam) December 17, 2023
The residents of Kashi give a warm welcome to the first student group from Tamil Nadu as they embark on their journey at #KashiTamilSangamam pic.twitter.com/JRrgFxMCVv
On Saturday, an official statement said, “The seven groups of students (Ganga), teachers (Yamuna), professionals (Godavari), spiritual (Saraswati), farmers and artisans (Narmada), writers (Sindhu) and traders and businessmen (Kaveri) have been named after seven sacred rivers of India will travel from Chennai, Coimbatore and Kanyakumari to Kashi. More than 42,000 registrations were received during the time of registration. Out of them, 200 people for each group were selected by the selection committee.”
The first student delegates (Ganga group) arrive from Tamil Nadu to participate in #KashiTamilSangamam
— Kashi Tamil Sangamam (@KTSangamam) December 17, 2023
They get a warm welcome as they get ready to celebrate the living bonds between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu – two important centres of learning and culture in ancient India… pic.twitter.com/dcd92scgRz
The Union Ministry of Education will serve as the coordinating authority for this event. Various ministries, including Culture, Tourism, Railways, Textiles, Food Processing (One District One Product), MSME, Information and Broadcasting, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, as well as IRCTC, along with relevant departments of the Uttar Pradesh government, will actively participate in the event.
#KashiTamilSangamam 2023 is the celebration of the enduring ties between Kashi and Tamil Nadu, connecting our ancient wisdom. Come! Be a part of this unique cultural confluence! #EkBharatShreshthaBharat#VanakkamKashi@PMOIndia @narendramodi @dpradhanbjp @KTSangamam… pic.twitter.com/wehWtIc8HC
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) December 16, 2023
The statement said, “Leveraging the experience of the first phase and considering its reputation for research, IIT Madras will be acting as the implementing agency in Tamil Nadu and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh.”
It added, “The representative itinerary will include a two-day outbound trip, a two-day return trip to Banaras and a one-day trip, each to Prayagraj and Ayodhya. Stalls showcasing art and culture, handlooms, handicrafts, cuisine and other special products of Tamil Nadu and Kashi will be set up. Cultural programmes combining the cultures of Tamil Nadu and Kashi will also be organised at the Namo Ghat in Kashi.”
The event will feature organised seminars, discussions, and lectures covering a wide array of knowledge areas, including literature, ancient texts, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance, drama, yoga, ayurveda, handloom, handicrafts, as well as modern innovations, business exchanges, EdTech, and other cutting-edge technologies.
According to the statement, “Apart from this, experts and scholars, local practitioners of various disciplines/professions from Tamil Nadu and Kashi will also participate in these exchanges so that a body of practical knowledge/innovation can emerge from mutual learning in different areas.”
PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various other development projects
In the last nine years, the Prime Minister has put a special focus on transforming the landscape of Varanasi and enhancing the ease of living for the people living in Varanasi and adjoining regions. Taking another step in this direction, PM Narendra Modi will dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects costing around Rs. 19,150 crore.
PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the New Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar-New Bhaupur Dedicated Freight Corridor Project built at a cost of around Rs 10,900 crore. Other railway projects that will be inaugurated include the Ballia-Ghazipur City rail line doubling project; and the Indara-Dohrighat rail line gauge conversion project, among others.
PM Narendra Modi will flag off the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express train, Dohrighat-Mau MEMU train and a pair of Long Haul goods trains at the newly inaugurated Dedicated Freight Corridor. He will also flag off the 10,000th locomotive made by Banaras Locomotive Works.
PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the green-field Shivpur-Phulwaria-Lahartara road along with two ROBs at a cost of more than Rs 370 crore. It will ease the traffic moment between the north and south parts of Varanasi city and will enhance visitors’ convenience. Further key projects to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister include the strengthening and widening of 20 roads; Sangam Ghat road in Kaithi village and the construction of residential buildings in Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital.
Furthermore, PM Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate two multi-storey barrack buildings, one with 200 beds located in the Police line and another with 150 beds in PAC Bhullanpur, addressing the housing needs of police personnel. Additionally, smart bus shelters constructed at nine different locations and a 132 KW substation in Alaipur will also be unveiled by the Prime Minister.
As part of the Smart City Mission, PM Narendra Modi will launch a website providing detailed tourist information and introduce the Unified Tourist Pass System. This pass system will facilitate single-platform ticket booking for attractions such as Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Ganga Cruise, and Sarnath’s light and sound show, offering integrated QR code services.
PM Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stones for a series of projects with a combined value exceeding Rs 6500 crore. Aiming to boost the production of non-renewable energy sources, he will initiate the establishment of an 800 MW solar park in the Chitrakoot district, entailing an investment of approximately Rs 4000 crore. Additionally, to enhance the petroleum supply chain, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation for the construction of a new petroleum oil terminal in Mirzapur, with a projected cost exceeding Rs. 1050 crore.
PM Narendra Modi will also initiate the foundation laying for several projects, encompassing the expansion of Varanasi-Bhadohi NH 731 B (Package-2) with an investment exceeding Rs 900 crore. Additionally, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 69 rural drinking water schemes will be implemented for Rs 280 crore. Other projects include the construction of a 150-bed capacity Critical Care Unit in BHU Trauma Center, the redevelopment of 8 Ganga Ghats, and the construction of a Divyang residential secondary school, among various others.
