Just months before the Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated projects worth over Rs 8,000 crore, including the last stretch of Chennai Metro's Phase-I and laying the foundation stone for modernisation of Grand Anaicut canal system.
Modi's “love” for Tamil was on display as he began his address by greeting people in local language and quoted extensively from poems penned by Avaiyar and Subramania Bharathiyar in his speech. Besides the development projects, he also handed over the indigenously designed and manufactured 'Main Battle Tank Arjun Mark 1A'.
The event also had political overtones with Modi holding the hands of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam and posing for pictures at the end of the event.
This gesture is being interpreted as an affirmation of the AIADMK-BJP alliance for the Assembly polls. Both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam effused praise on Modi during their speeches, even cadres of AIADMK and BJP accorded him a grand welcome.
Contending that this is “going to be India's decade”, Modi said the Centre is committed to doing everything possible to support this surge of aspiration and innovation while stressing that special importance has been given in this year's Budget to development of India’s coastal areas.
At a gala event held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here, Modi flagged off the first Metro train from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar, a distance of 9.05 km, piloted by Reena Arumugam, threw open the IIT Knowledge Park build at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore and inaugurated several railway projects.
He also laid the foundation stone for modernising 636-km-long Grand Anaicut Canal System, which is the lifeline of farmers in the Cauvery Delta region.
“The impact of this is going to be very big. It will improve irrigation facilities for 2.27 lakh acres of land. Districts of Thanjavur and Pudukkottai will gain especially. I want to appreciate the farmers of Tamil Nadu for record foodgrain production and good use of water resources,” he said.
Noting that the Grand Anaicut is a living testimony to “our glorious past”, Modi said the canal is also an inspiration to the nation’s 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' goals.
In his address, Modi said Over Rs 65,000 crore have been set aside for 119-km of Phase-II of Chennai Metro. “This is one of the largest projects sanctioned for any city in one-go. The focus on urban transport will boost ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens here,” he said.
Modi also said the Centre would always protect the rightful interests of Indian fishermen vis-a-vis Sri Lanka.