Tuticorin: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described the recently concluded FTA between India and UK as ‘historic,’ and said the trade pact showed the world’s trust in the country.
As regards Operation Sindoor, he said weapons manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ initiative played a great role during the cross-border military offensive in destroying enemy targets and made enemies lose sleep.
The PM inaugurated, laid foundation stones and dedicated projects worth Rs 4,900 crore here and underscored the NDA government’s commitment towards Tamil Nadu’s growth.
In his address after inaugurating the projects, Modi said he was blessed to directly land in Tamil Nadu after completing his foreign tour during which the India-UK Free Trade Agreement was signed before his visit to the Maldives.
The trade pact with Britain was ‘historic.’
“India and Britain signed a FTA. This shows the growing trust of the world and our self-confidence. We will make Viksit (developed) Bharat and Viksit Tamil Nadu with this self-confidence,” Modi said.
“FTA with Britain adds pace to our vision of Viksit Bharat, Viksit TN,” the PM, clad in a traditional veshti (dhoti), shirt and an ‘angavastram’ worn around the neck, said. He landed here directly after wrapping up his official tour of the Maldives.
“After the FTA, there will be no tax on 99 per cent of Indian products being sold in Britain. If Indian products are cheap, the demand will grow there and this will lead to more production opportunities in India. Due to this FTA, TN youth, small businesses, MSMES, startups will get big benefits,” he added.
Promising a developed India and Tamil Nadu, he said, “infrastructure and energy are the backbone of any state’s development; our focus on infrastructure and energy in last 11 years shows our commitment to TN’s growth.”
The NDA government has constructed Atal Sethu, Sonmarg Tunnel, Bogibeel bridge in different parts of the country and these created thousands of job opportunities.
As regards the railways, he said it is the lifeline of industrial growth.
The projects he inaugurated on Saturday are related to airport, highways, railways, port and power in Tamil Nadu and he said that infrastructure.
The inaugurated projects include a new state-of-the-art Tuticorin airport terminal building, developed at an estimated cost of around Rs 450 crore.
As regards railway projects, it includes the electrification of the 90 km Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line, commissioned at a cost of Rs 99 Crore and the Rs 650 crore worth doubling of the 21 km Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section.
The PM dedicated to the nation, two strategically significant highway projects– 4-laning of 50 km Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch of NH-36, developed at a cost Rs 2,350 crore and 6-laning of the 5.16 km NH-138 Tuticorin Port Road, built at around Rs 200 crore.
He inaugurated the North Cargo Berth–III with a cargo handling capacity of 6.96 MMTPA at V O Chidambaranar Port established at a cost of Rs 285 crore.
On the occasion, he invoked legendary freedom fighters from the region–VO Chidambaram Pillai, king Veerapandia Kattabomman and chieftain Veeran Azhagu Muthukon.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi participated in the event. State Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu presented a memento, a replica of the iconic Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, to the prime minister on the occasion.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, Union Minister of State L Murugan, TN Social Welfare Minister P Geetha Jeevan, Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi and top officials took part.
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