Namaskar! Hope you are doing well!
Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma ji, my colleagues in the cabinet Sarbananda Sonowal ji and Rameshwar Teli ji, all the ministers of the Assam government, all the representatives present here, other dignitaries, and my dear brothers and sisters of Assam!
You have come here in such large numbers to bless us. I express my gratitude with a bowed head. And, I was just informed by the Chief Minister that millions of people are participating in this development celebration at 200 locations through video conference. I also welcome them. And I saw on social media how the people of Golaghat lit thousands of lamps. This affection and affinity of the people of Assam are my great assets. Today, I am fortunate to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for projects worth over 17,000 crores for the people of Assam. These projects are related to health, housing, and petroleum. These projects will accelerate the pace of development in Assam. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the people of Assam for these development projects.
Friends,
Before coming here, I also got the opportunity to see the vastness and natural beauty of Kaziranga National Park up close. Kaziranga is a unique national park and tiger reserve. Its biodiversity and ecosystem attract everyone. Kaziranga also takes pride in being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kaziranga is also home to 70 per cent of the world's one-horned rhinos. The experience of seeing tigers, elephants, swamp deer, wild buffaloes, and various other wildlife animals in this natural environment is truly something else. Moreover, Kaziranga is like heaven for bird watchers. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of previous governments and criminal poaching, rhinos, which are the identity of Assam, were also endangered. In 2013 alone, 27 rhinos were poached here. But due to the efforts of our government and the people here, this number has become zero by 2022. Kaziranga National Park is also going to celebrate its golden jubilee year in 2024. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the people of Assam for this as well. And I would also like to tell the countrymen to mark the golden jubilee year of Kaziranga by visiting here. The memories I bring from Kaziranga will stay with me for a lifetime.
Friends,
Today, I also had the privilege of unveiling the grand and magnificent statue of Veer Lachit Borphukan. Lachit Borphukan is the epitome of courage and valour of Assam. We celebrated the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan with great enthusiasm in Delhi in 2022. I once again pay my respects to the brave warrior Lachit Borphukan.
Friends,
‘Virasat’ (heritage) and ‘Vikas’ (development) both have been the mantra of our double-engine government. Along with the conservation of heritage, the double-engine government of Assam is working just as swiftly for the development of the region. Assam has shown unprecedented progress in the areas of infrastructure, healthcare, and energy. The construction of AIIMS has provided great convenience to the people here. Today, the inauguration of the Tinsukia Medical College has also taken place. This will ensure better healthcare facilities for people in surrounding districts. During my previous visit to Assam, I laid the foundation stones for two medical colleges in Guwahati and Karimganj. Today, the foundation stone of the Shivsagar Medical College has been laid. Additionally, a cancer hospital has been built in Jorhat. With the development of health infrastructure, Assam will become a significant centre for healthcare services for the entire Northeast.
Friends,
Today, the Barauni-Guwahati pipeline, built under the PM Urja Ganga project, has been dedicated to the nation. This gas pipeline will connect the Northeastern Grid to the National Gas Grid. It will supply gas to nearly 30 lakh families and over 600 CNG stations. More than 30 districts of Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam will benefit from this pipeline.
Friends,
Today, the expansion of the capacities of the Digboi Refinery and the Guwahati Refinery has also been inaugurated. For decades, there was a demand from the people of Assam to increase the capacity of Assam's refineries. There were protests and demonstrations here. But previous governments never paid attention to the sentiments of the people here. However, the BJP government has consistently worked to increase the capacity of all four refineries in Assam in the past 10 years. Now, the total capacity of Assam's refineries will double. Moreover, the capacity of the Numaligarh Refinery is set to triple, yes, triple. When there is a strong intention for the development of a region, work also happens with strength and at a rapid pace.
Friends,
Today, the dream of having a permanent home has come true for over 5.5 lakh families in Assam. Just imagine, over 5 lakh families are moving into their own, preferred, and owned homes in one state. Brothers and sisters, it is such a great fortune of life that I am able to serve you.
Brothers and sisters,
People were yearning for homes during the Congress government's time, but our government, as you can see, is providing over 5.5 lakh homes to the poor in Assam alone, over 5.5 lakh homes. And these homes are not just four walls; along with these homes, facilities like toilets, gas connections, electricity, and piped water are also provided. So far, 18 lakh families have been provided with pucca houses in Assam. And I am pleased to note that the majority of homes provided under the PM Awas Yojana are registered in the names of women. Now, my mothers and sisters have become owners of these houses. That is, these homes have made lakhs of women the owners of their own homes.
Friends,
Our effort is to make the life of every woman in Assam easier, to increase her savings, to make her financially stable. Just yesterday, our government reduced the price of gas cylinders by Rs. 100 on International Women's Day. Our government, which is providing free medical treatment through the Ayushman card, its significant beneficiaries are our mothers, sisters, and women. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 50 lakh new households in Assam have received water connections in the past 5 years. Under the Amrit Sarovar campaign, 3,000 Amrit Sarovars are also proving to be very beneficial. I also had the opportunity to release its coffee table book. I'm saying this to you, sisters wearing nice hats, that the BJP government is also working on a campaign to make 3 crore sisters ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in the country. This campaign is empowering women associated with self-help groups, providing them with new opportunities. The benefit of this campaign is also reaching lakhs of women in Assam. And the Chief Minister was telling me that all the ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in Assam are present here. Please applaud these ‘Lakhpati Didis’ by clapping. If policies are in the right direction and common people come together, you will see a huge change. This is Modi's guarantee to make ‘Lakhpati Didis’ in the villages across the country.
Friends,
Since 2014, the foundation for several historic changes has been laid in Assam. Land rights were granted to over two and a half lakh landless residents. For seven decades after independence, tea garden workers were not integrated into the banking system. Our government started linking approximately 8 lakh workers in tea gardens to the banking system. Integration into the banking system means that these workers started receiving benefits from government schemes. Those who were entitled to the monetary benefits from the government started getting the money in their bank accounts directly. We closed all the doors for the middlemen. For the first time, the poor felt that there was a government which was taking care of them, and it was the BJP government.
Friends,
To fulfil the resolve of ‘Viksit Bharat’, the development of the Northeast is essential. During the long tenure of Congress rule, the Northeast endured years of government neglect. Many development projects were inaugurated with much fanfare, only to mislead people and then be forgotten. But Modi considers the entire Northeast as his family. Therefore, we focused on completing projects that had been pending for years, merely written on paper and left untouched. The BJP government completed the construction of the second bridge at Saraighat, the Dhola-Sadiya bridge, and the Bogibeel bridge, dedicating them to the service of the nation. During our government's tenure, broad gauge rail connectivity was extended to Barak Valley. Many projects were launched after 2014 to give a fillip to development. Construction of the multi-modal logistics park began in Jogighopa. Approval was granted for building two new bridges over the Brahmaputra River. Until 2014, Assam had only one National Waterway; today there are 18 National Waterways in the Northeast. This infrastructure development has created new industrial opportunities. Our government has approved the expansion of the Unnati Scheme to strengthen the industrial ecosystem of the Northeast. A significant decision has also been made for Assam's jute farmers. The Cabinet has increased the MSP for jute to Rs. 285 per quintal this year. Now, jute farmers will receive Rs. 5,335 per quintal of jute.
Friends,
Amidst all these efforts of mine, what are our opponents doing? What are those misleading the country doing? The Congress and its allies, who keep on abusing Modi, have started saying lately that Modi doesn't have a family. In response to their criticism, the entire nation has stood up. The whole country is saying - 'I am Modi's family', 'I am Modi's family', 'I am Modi's family', 'I am Modi's family', 'I am Modi's family', 'I am Modi's family'. This is love, this is blessings. This love of the country is bestowed upon Modi because he not only considers 1.4 billion countrymen as his family but also serves them day and night. Today's event is a reflection of the same. Once again, I extend my best wishes to all of you for coming in such large numbers. Thank you. And I also congratulate you for the development works on such a large scale. Raise both hands up and say with me -
Bharat Mata ki—Jai!
Your voice should reach the entire Northeast.
Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai!
The voice of the ‘Lakhpati Didis’ should be even louder.
Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai!
Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Thank you very much.
