₹71k-cr projects in focus during PM’s 5-state tour

PRime government minister Narendra Modi testament ship on a three-day circuit from sat, covering five states, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar, and inaugurating projects worth ₹71,000 crore in a major push for ease-of-living in India’s eastern and northeastern regions.In focus will be the PM’s visit to Manipur on Saturday, his first since violence broke out in the state in May 2023. He is set to inaugurate projects worth ₹8,500 crore in the state.“I will be attending programmes in Churachandpur and Imphal tomorrow, 13th September. We are fully committed to furthering inclusive and all-round development of Manipur. The foundation stone for road projects, national highway projects, women hostels and more would be laid. The projects being inaugurated include the civil secretariat at Mantripukhri, the IT SEZ Building and the new police headquarters at Mantripukhri, a unique all-women’s market in various districts,” Modi posted on X.The tour will begin from Mizoram, where at around 10am in Aizawl, Modi will launch projects worth more than ₹9,000 crore including the inauguration of the Bairabi–Sairang New Rail Line, built at a cost of over ₹8,070 crore, which connects Mizoram’s capital to the Indian Railways network for the first time, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.He will flag off three new trains in Mizoram — the Sairang–Delhi Rajdhani Express, Sairang–Guwahati Express, and Sairang–Kolkata Express. He will also inaugurate projects related to roads, energy, sports, and education, including the Aizawl Bypass Road, an LPG bottling plant at Mualkhang, a Khelo India Multipurpose Indoor Hall Tuikual, and new residential schools in Mamit and Tlangnuam, as well as address a public gathering in Aizawl.“I look forward to being among my sisters and brothers in Aizawl tomorrow, 13th September. This visit is very special because this wonderful city is going to be connected to the railway network for the very first time with the inauguration of the Bairabi-Sairang New Rail line. This has been built in very challenging terrain and includes several major and minor bridges. The coming of railway connectivity will boost commerce and tourism,” he posted on X.“The foundation stone for key road projects will also be laid. Other projects include the foundation stone laying of Khelo India Multipurpose Indoor Hall and the inauguration of a residential school at Kawrthah and Eklavya Model Residential School at Tlangnuam,” he added.From there, he will head to Manipur, where he will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over ₹7,300 crore at Churachandpur, in line with his “commitment to inclusive, sustainable and holistic development of Manipur.” The projects include urban roads, highways, and the Manipur infotech development project, the new civil secretariat in Imphal among others.Officials said Modi will hold events in both Kuki-majority Churachandpur at 12.30pm and Meitei-majority Imphal at 2.30pm, and interact with internally displaced people. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands displaced in the ethnic conflict since May 2023. The state has been under President’s Rule since February after the BJP government led by N Biren Singh, who belongs to the Meitei community, resigned.On SATURDAY, Modi will attend the centenary celebrations of legendary artist Bhupen Hazarika in Assam’s capital Guwahati.“Tomorrow evening in Guwahati, I will take part in the birth centenary celebrations of the great Bhupen Hazarika Ji. His contribution to our culture, especially Assamese music and literature, is monumental. His works continue to be popular across generations,” he said on X.On Sunday, he is scheduled to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth over ₹18,530 crore across Assam. Key projects include the Darrang Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati Ring Road, Kuruwa–Narengi Bridge over the Brahmaputra, the Assam Bioethanol Plant at Numaligarh Refinery, and a new polypropylene plant to boost the petrochemical sector and create jobs.On Monday, Modi will visit West Bengal to inaugurate and address the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference in Kolkata. The biennial meet, held from September 15–17, is the apex forum of the Armed Forces for strategic discussions. This year’s theme is “Year of Reforms – Transforming for the Future.”He will then travel to poll-bound Bihar, where he will launch the National Makhana board. The board, announced in the Union budget 2025, will promote production and new technology development, strengthen post-harvest management, promote value addition and processing and facilitate market, export and brand development in Makhana, thereby benefiting the Makhana farmers of Bihar and the country, said the government statement.“The establishment of the Makhana board in Bihar will give a major boost to the Makhana production in the state and the country and strengthen the presence of Bihar on the global map in this sector,” the statement said.The PM will visit Purnea to launch projects worth ₹36,000 crore, including Bihar’s largest private investment — a ₹25,000-crore thermal power plant at Pirpainti, Other projects include the Kosi–Mechi River Link Project, major railway projects with new train services, and the region’s first sex-sorted semen facility. He will also participate in Griha Pravesh ceremonies for over 40,000 PMAY beneficiaries and distribute ₹500 crore to women’s self-help groups under DAY-NRLM.Bihar is set to go to the polls later this year and the National Democratic Alliance will look to hold off the Opposition’s grand alliance. Modi last visited the state on August 22 and launched multiple projects worth ₹13,000 crore. In July, he went to Motihari in Bihar and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth ₹7,200 crore.