Ports are for prosperity: PM Modi in Gujarat

Dhaej (Gujarat) [India] Oct 22 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that ports are for prosperity.

While addressing a public meeting here in Bharuch district, Prime Minister Modi said, "Our mantra is P for P- ports for prosperity. India needs better ports and more ports."

Talking about the Sagar Mala project, Prime Minister Modi said, "We believe Sagar Mala project alone will provide around 1 crore jobs."

Sagar Mala project is a strategic and customer-oriented initiative of the Government of India to modernise India's ports so that port-led development can be augmented and coastlines can be developed to contribute in India's growth.

It was originally mooted by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003 as a waterway.

Prime Minister Modi-led Cabinet gave its approval to Sagar Mala on March 25, 2015 to develop 12 ports of India and also 1208 Islands. The project was launched by Ministry of Shipping in Karnataka on July 31, 2015.

Prime Minister also said that he was personally singling out files and getting those projects completed that were stalled for decades.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase 1 of the RO RO (Roll on, Roll off) ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej.

After launching the RO-RO ferry service in the poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi said that he had to face the hostility of the Centre when he was the chief minister of Gujarat in 2012.

"When I was serving as the chief minister of Gujarat in 2012, I faced hostility from the then Central Government. Efforts were made to stall industries and the state's growth. Over the last three years, we have changed that and given importance to the development of Gujarat," he said.

Highlighting the importance of the ferry service, Prime Minister Modi asserted that the project was like a dream-come-true for the people of the state.

"This ferry service will not be restricted to this one route. We are planning to link other places also through ferries. This RO RO ferry service will start the phase of social and economic development. Thousands of new jobs will be created," the prime minister asserted.

The seven to eight hours of travel time between Ghogha in Saurashtra, and Dahej in South Gujarat will now be reduced to one hour after the ferry service has become operational.

From Bhavnagar district's Ghogha, Prime Minister Modi went to Dahej in Bharuch in the newly-launched the ferry service. Before addressing the public meeting, he also interacted with the school children.

Prime Minister Modi's next stop is Vadodara, where he will dedicate to the nation, the Vadodara City Command Control Centre, the Waghodiya Regional Water Supply Scheme, and the New Head Office Building of the Bank of Baroda, at a public meeting.

The Prime Minister will also hand over the residences to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (urban, as well as rural).

Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stones of several infrastructure and development projects, including capacity expansion of Mundra-Delhi petroleum product pipeline, greenfield marketing terminal project of the HPCL, an integrated transport hub, regional water supply schemes, housing projects, and a flyover.

Gujarat is going for polls and the 14th legislative assembly election in Gujarat is to be held by the end of 2017 as the term of 13th assembly ends on January 22, 2018.

This is Prime Minister Modi's third visit to his home state Gujarat this month.

While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stone unturned to retain power in Gujarat, the Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is heading his party's poll campaign in Gujarat. He is eyeing to dethrone the ruling BJP in Gujarat. The last Congress government in Gujarat was led by Chhabildas Mehta from February 17, 1994 to March 13, 1995.

Ruling BJP, has launched Gujarat Gaurav Yatra, its biggest mass outreach programme in poll-bound Gujarat, that will cover 149 out of 182 constituencies.

The yatra publicises the achievements of the BJP government across the state. Many top BJP leaders like Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Uma Bharti, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have participated in the yatra and campaigned for the party. (ANI)