Indian PM Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than Rs 48,100 crores in Rajkot, Gujarat on Sunday.

The projects encompass important sectors like health, road, rail, energy, petroleum & natural gas, and tourism among others.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister acknowledged the virtual presence of Governors and Chief Ministers of States, Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and Union Ministers and thanked them.

The Prime Minister recalled the time when all key development programs were carried out in New Delhi alone and highlighted that the present government changed the trend and took the Government of India to every corner of the nation.

“Today's organization in Rajkot is a proof of this belief," PM Modi said, underlining that the dedication and foundation stone laying ceremony is taking place in multiple locations in the country as it takes forward a new tradition.

Recalling the inauguration of educational institutions of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IIIT Kurnool, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Visakhapatnam and IIS Kanpur from a program in Jammu, Prime Minister Modi said that today marks the inauguration of AIIMS Rajkot, AIIMS Raebareli, AIIMS Mangalagiri, AIIMS Bathinda and AIIMS Kalyani.

“The developing India is getting work done at a fast pace, especially when you look at these 5 AIIMSs,” Modi added.

The Prime Minister recalled his long association with Rajkot and said that 22 years ago he was elected MLA from here. On 25th February 22 years ago, he took oath as the MLA.

He said that he has done his best to live up to the trust of the people of Rajkot.

“I can see that generations have changed but affection for Modi is beyond any age limit,” said a grateful Prime Minister.

Apologizing for the delay in today’s programme, the Prime Minister told the audience about his activities in Dwaraka earlier during the day where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of many development works including Sudarsan Setu.

He once again narrated his divine experience of offering prayer at the submerged holy city of Dwarka.

“Reading the archaeological and religious text fills us with wonder about Dwarka. Today I got an opportunity to see that holy scene with my own eyes and I could touch the holy remains. I offered prayers and offered ‘Mor-Pankh’ there. It is difficult to describe that feeling”, said the Prime Minister, still overcome with emotions from the experience."

“In those depths, I was wondering about the glorious past of India. When I came out, I came out carrying the blessings of Bhagwan Krishna as well as the inspiration of Dwarka”, the Prime Minister said.

“This gave a new strength and energy to my resolution of ‘Vikas aur Virasat’. A divine belief has become associated with my goal for Viksit Bharat,” he added.

Noting the development projects of today worth more than Rs 48,000 crores, the Prime Minister mentioned the New Mundra-Panipat pipeline commissioned to transport crude oil from the Gujarat coast to Indian Oil's refinery in Panipat in Haryana.

He also mentioned projects related to roads, railways, electricity, health and education.

“AIIMS Rajkot is now dedicated to the nation after the inauguration of the International Airport,” the Prime Minister said, congratulating the people of Rajkot and Saurashtra.

He also conveyed his best wishes to citizens of all cities where AIIMS is being inaugurated today.

“Today marks a historic occasion not just for Rajkot but the entire nation”, Prime Minister Modi said, highlighting that Rajkot today presents a glimpse of the desired levels of health facilities in Viksit Bharat. He pointed out that the nation had only one AIIMS for 50 years of independence, that too in Delhi. He added that even though only seven AIIMS were commissioned during the seven decades of independence, some of them couldn’t be completed.

“In the last 10 days, the nation has witnessed the foundation stone laying and inauguration of seven new AIIMS,” the Prime Minister remarked, highlighting that the present government has accomplished things at a faster pace than what was done in the last 70 years, thereby taking the country on the path of development.

He also mentioned laying the foundation stone and dedicating more than 200 health infrastructure projects including medical colleges, satellite centers of multi-speciality hospitals and centers for the treatment of worrying ailments.

Reiterating the promise of ‘Modi ki Guarantee meaning the guarantee of fulfillment of guarantee’ the Prime Minister said that the foundation stone for  Rajkot AIIMS was laid by him 3 years ago and today that guarantee was fulfilled. Similarly, a guarantee of an AIIMS was given to Punjab and the foundation stone as well as inauguration was done by PM Modi.

The same cycle has taken place for Raebareli, Mangalgiri, Kalyani, and Rewari AIIMS.

In the last 10 years, 10 new AIIMS have been sanctioned in different states. “Modi ki guarantee begins where expectations from others end”, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister said that the pandemic could be handled in a credible manner due to the improvements in the healthcare system and infrastructure in the last 10 years. He mentioned the unprecedented expansion of AIIMS, Medical Colleges and Critical Care Infrastructure.

There are more than 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in villages for small ailments.

The Prime Minister said that today, the number of medical colleges has reached 706 from 387 in 2014, more than 1 lakh MBBS seats from 50 thousand ten years ago,  70 thousand post-graduate seats, up from 30 thousand in 2014.

More doctors will come out of these colleges in the next few years than the number of doctors in the entire 70 years since independence, he said. There are 64 thousand crore rupees worth Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission going on in the country.

Today’s event also saw projects like medical colleges, TB hospital and research center, PGI satellite center, critical care blocks and dozens of ESIC hospitals.

“Government prioritizes the prevention of disease as well as the capacity to fight it”, the Prime Minister said, highlighting the emphasis on nutrition, Yoga, Ayush and cleanliness.

He underlined the commitment to promoting both traditional Indian medicine and modern medicine and gave examples of the two big hospitals and research centers related to Yoga and Naturopathy being inaugurated in Maharashtra and Haryana today. He also mentioned WHO's global center related to the traditional medical system is also being built here in Gujarat.

In a bid towards helping the poor and middle class save money while also availing better healthcare facilities, the Prime Minister threw light on the Ayushman Bharat Yojna which has helped save Rs 1 lakh crore, and Jan Aushadhi Centers that provide medicines at an 80% discount thereby saving Rs 30 thousand crores. Under the Ujjwala Yojna, the poor have saved more than Rs 70,000 crores, citizens have saved Rs 4,000 every month due to low cost of mobile data and taxpayers have saved about Rs 2.5 lakh crores due to tax-related reforms.

The Prime Minister also elaborated on the PM Suryaghar Scheme that will bring the electricity bill to zero and will create income for the families. Beneficiaries will get 300 units of free electricity and the remaining power will be purchased by the government. He also mentioned large wind energy and solar projects such as two plants in Kutch for which foundation stones were laid today.

Noting that Rajkot is a city of workers, entrepreneurs and artisans, the Prime Minister talked about PM Vishwakarma Yojana worth Rs 13,000 crores benefitting lakhs of Vishwakarmas. In Gujarat only 20,000 Vishwakarmas have already been trained and every Vishwakarma received an assistance of Rs 15,000. He also informed that in PM SVANidhi scheme, assistance of Rs 10,000 crores has been disbursed to street vendors. Street vendors of Gujarat received about Rs 800 crores worth of assistance. In Rajkot itself, more than 30,000 loans have been disbursed, he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that the mission of Viksit Bharat gets stronger when the citizens of India get empowered.

“When Modi guarantees to make India the world’s third largest economic superpower, the goal is health for all and prosperity for all,” the Prime Minister concluded.