On Kerala visit, PM Modi says BJP, India’s youth share same wavelength and vision

KOCHI: Highlighting India as a treasure trove of youth power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the youth of the country share the same wavelength and vision.

Addressing the Yuvam Conclave in Thevara, the Prime Minister said, “Today, the BJP and the youth of the country share the same wavelength and vision. We bring reforms and the youth bring results. It is a strong partnership between the government and the youth. The BJP has made this era, the era of youth-led development”.

He said a mission becomes vibrant when there is the energy of vibrant youth behind it and, when it comes to Kerala, it is so grand and beautiful that after coming here, the energy increases even more. “The previous governments at the Centre did scams in every sector. On the other hand, the BJP government is creating opportunities in every sector. Through the Aatmanirbhar campaign, the youth have been given opportunities”, PM Modi said.

The PM said that today, when the country is taking steps with the resolve of ‘New India’ and shouldering big global responsibilities, “the youth of the country and Kerala have come forward to provide their leadership to this development journey of India.”

Calling the 21st century India’s century, he said India has a treasure of youth power. “Earlier, people used to think that nothing will change in India. However, today, our country can change the entire world. Today’s Aatmanirbhar India talks about Digital India. Once upon a time, India was one of the ‘Fragile Five’ countries. However, today India is known as the fastest-growing economy. It is because of the youth, and therefore, I strongly believe in the youth of my country”, PM Modi said.

Referring to Padma awardee V P Appukutta Poduval, PM Modi said, “A few weeks ago, I met a 99-year youth from Kerala. He is a famous Gandhian, V P Appukutta Poduval, who was conferred the Padma award. We get to learn from every talent in Kerala”. He said modern infrastructure plays an important role in the development of a state and added that work on the Kochi Metro is going on at a fast pace with the help of the central government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who landed in Kerala for a two-day visit, held a mega roadshow in Kochi on Monday. Sporting traditional Kerala attire, PM Modi walked through the streets of Kochi. People queued up on both sides of the road and cheered for the Prime Minister. They also showered flower petals on him. PM Modi was also seen shaking hands with people.

After walking for over 15 minutes, the security personnel escorted Prime Minister to an SUV. The roadshow was markedly different from the PM’s other roadshows, where he usually is seen standing on the side-step of his vehicle. Modi’s roadshow in Kerala can be seen as a show of strength in the southern state where the BJP is aiming to make inroads ahead of the 2024 general elections.

During his Kerala visit, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 3,200 crore in Kerala. He will flag off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on Tuesday. According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the train will cover 11 districts, namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Kochi Water Metro, a one of its kind project that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with the city. Apart from Kochi Water Metro, rail electrification of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad section will also be inaugurated by the PM.

During the event, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation for various rail projects including the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Varkala Sivagiri railway stations; comprehensive development of Thiruvananthapuram area including Nemon and Kochuveli, and increasing of sectional speed of Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section.

Modi will also lay the foundation stone of the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram. The Digital Science Park is envisaged as a key research facility to develop digital products and services by industry and business units in collaboration with academia. As a third generation Science Park, the Digital Science Park will house common facilities to support the development of products in the area of Industry 4.0 Technologies like AI, data analytics, cyber security, smart materials etc, said the PMO statement.

The state-of-the-art basic infrastructure will support high-end applied research by industries and the co-development of products in association with the Universities. The initial investment for Phase-1 of the project is around Rs 200 crore while the total project outlay has been estimated at around Rs 1,515 crore. (ANI)