PM Modi to launch multiple projects in Varanasi today

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here this evening and will launch a number of development projects on Friday and address public meetings, officials here said.

He will participate in a prize distribution programme Friday for the winners of Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita at the Banaras Hindu University, they said.

At 11.15 am, the prime minister will perform a 'pooja' and have a 'darshan' at the Sant Guru Ravidas Janmasthali before attending a function at 11.30 am to commemorate the 647th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas.

An official statement said that in the afternoon, the PM will attend a public function where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than Rs 13,000 crore in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency.

To further enhance Varanasi's road connectivity, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple road projects, including the four-laning of the Ghargra-Bridge-Varanasi section of National Highway 233 and the four-laning of the Sultanpur-Varanasi section of National Highway 56.

To provide impetus to industrial development in the region, he will also inaugurate an HPCL LPG bottling plant in Sewapuri, Banas Kashi Sankul milk processing unit at UPSIDA Agro Park Karkhiyaon, various infrastructure work at the UPSIDA Agro Park, Karkhiyaon, and silk fabric printing common facility centre for weavers.

For the famous textiles sector of Varanasi, Modi will lay the foundation stone of a National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Varanasi. It will strengthen the education and training infrastructure of the sector, the statement said.

Augmenting the health infrastructure in Varanasi, the prime minister will lay the foundation stone of a new medical college. He will also lay the foundation stone of the National Centre of Ageing at Banaras Hindu University.

The prime minister will also inaugurate the Sigra Sports Stadium Phase-1 and District Rifle Shooting Range.

At the Sant Guru Ravidas Janmasthali temple at Seer Govardhanpur near the Banaras Hindu University, the prime minister will inaugurate a newly-installed statue of Sant Ravidas in the adjoining Ravidas Park.

He will inaugurate various development works around Sant Ravidas Janmasthali, worth about Rs 32 crore, and lay the foundation stone for Sant Ravidas Museum and beautification of the park, worth about Rs 62 crore, the statement said.