PM Modi inaugurates six-lane Varanasi-Prayagraj highway project: Key points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday dedicated the six-lane widening project of Handia (Prayagraj)-Rajatalab (Varanasi) section of National Highway 19 to the nation.

While inaugurating the project, Prime Minister Modi said Varanasi is getting better infrastructure on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti and Dev Deepawali and this will benefit both Varanasi and Prayagraj.

"The widening of this highway has made it easier to travel between Kashi and Prayagraj. The problems faced by Kanwariyas during the Kanwar Yatra will be over with this project. Its benefits will also be available during Kumbh," he said.

"Along with beautification of Kashi in past years, we can now witness the benefit of work done on connectivity here. New highways, flyovers, widening of roads to reduce traffic jams, several such works are now underway in and around Varanasi, which has never happened since independence. Infrastructure development in Uttar Pradesh has improved since Yogi Adityanath has become the Chief Minister. Today, work is underway on the development of 12 airports in the state," PM Modi added.

"Uttar Pradesh is now Express Pradesh and five new expressways being constructed will give a new identity to the state. I congratulate chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his team for focusing on development of infrastructure which has not only acted as a catalyst for development but has also generated employment," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the new farm laws have brought new options and opportunities for farmers and also provides legal protection against them.

Speaking at a function in Varanasi, the Prime Minister began his speech with 'Har Har Mahadev' and said that while everyone can raise questions in a democracy but there is a new trend in which some people are spreading misinformation and canards against the decisions taken by the government.

"These forces have spread misinformation to such an extent that it is unbelievable. They did not even allow welfare schemes to be implemented in states where they are in power," he said

He said that the old system option was still open for farmers. "These are the same people who have been duping farmers for decades. The MSP was always announced but never implemented. Their mega schemes never reached the beneficiaries," he said.

The Prime Minister listed the various schemes announced by his government for farmers including mobile cold storage, micro irrigation and access to a global market. "Black rice from this region now has a market in Australia," he said.

The Prime Minister said that his government had also implemented the pension scheme for farmers and 21 lakh farmers have even been linked to the scheme. He said that farmers could not be blamed because they have suffered for decades and have been fleeced.

"We are not working with 'chhal' (deceit) but with the purity of 'Ganga jal'," he stated. He said he was confident that the 'annadata' (farmer) of the country would lead 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' one day.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, while speaking on the occasion, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ensured the safety and security of the countrymen during the pandemic. He said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the country`s health infrastructure had been upgraded to meet the challenges of the prevailing situation.

Prime Minister will also attend Dev Deepawali event, undertake site visit of Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor Project and visit Sarnath Archaeological Site. Earlier, the Prime Minister was welcomed by chief minister Yogi Adityanath and other ministers at the Babatpur airport.

The stairs of the 'Ghats' in Varanasi are decorated using flowers and red carpet, while artists were seen making beautiful rangolis and painting pots.

As per the officials, arrangements have been made to light 11 lakh diyas on the banks of the river Ganga. Dev Deepawali, which has become a world-famous festival of light and fervour in Varanasi, is celebrated on every 'Poornima' (full moon) of the Kartik (Hindu calendar) month.

(With agency inputs)