Banaskantha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated and launched development projects worth over Rs 14,000 crore in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, covering agriculture, dairy, infrastructure, transport and social welfare.
Addressing a gathering, Modi said farmers and animal husbandry were key pillars of a developed India. He announced the release of over Rs 18,000 crore under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi to around 10 crore farmers nationwide. More than Rs 1,000 crore has been transferred to over 50 lakh farmers in Gujarat under the scheme, including nearly Rs 50 crore to beneficiaries in Banaskantha.
Modi said government schemes and policy measures had delivered or saved more than Rs 50 lakh crore for farmers through direct income support, fertiliser subsidies, MSP payments, crop insurance and solar irrigation pumps.
Highlighting the dairy sector, he referred to a new research facility in Banaskantha to improve indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds. He said around 150 crore livestock vaccine doses had been administered under the free vaccination programme, benefiting over eight crore farmers.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for two bio-CNG plants to produce clean fuel and organic fertiliser from cattle dung and agricultural waste.
On infrastructure, Modi flagged off the Ahmedabad-Varanasi Sabarmati Express and Mehsana-Becharaji-Sabarmati MEMU services. Foundation stones were laid for metro connectivity projects linking GIFT City and Ahmedabad airport. The Ahmedabad-Mehsana highway will be widened from four lanes to eight lanes.
More than 4,000 modern Anganwadis were inaugurated, benefiting around four lakh children and pregnant women. Modi also highlighted 12 approved horticulture clusters and urged people to participate in the Run for Unity on October 31.
