PM Modi first Prime Minister to stay overnight in Lakshadweep; launches projects worth crores

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to the Lakshadweep islands from January 2-3, as part of his south India tour. The PM received a warm welcome from the people of the island Union Territory of India. The PM reciprocated the welcome by saying, “Lakshadweep may be small, but its heart is huge.”

Apart from his welcome on land, a boat carrying a life-size cutout of PM Narendra Modi was seen. “A novel and interesting way of welcoming PM Modi. Watch how the people of Lakshadweep welcomed the PM!” posted the official handle of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on X. 

A novel and interesting way of welcoming PM Modi. Watch how the people of Lakshadweep welcomed the PM! pic.twitter.com/cP44Gf8dGg

— BJP (@BJP4India) January 2, 2024

First Indian PM to stay overnight in Lakshadweep

With this visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes the first premier of the nation to have stayed overnight at the Lakshadweep islands Union Territory. After he arrived at the Agatti Airport on January 2, the Prime Minister addressed a public function. “The union territory is full of many possibilities, but for a long time after independence, the infrastructure of Lakshadweep was not given much attention,” said PM Modi.

"Even though shipping is the lifeline of the archipelago, the port infrastructure is weak. Whether it’s health, education, or even petrol and diesel, we had to face a lot of problems. All these challenges are being addressed by our government," Modi added.

At 11 am on January 3, PM Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various projects worth Rs 1,150 crore at the Kavaratti Stadium in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.

“The priority of our Government is to make the life of every citizen easy in every area of ​​India,” said PM Modi, adding, “In the last 10 years the central government has left no chance to make the life of people easy in Lakshadweep. We have started programmes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Kishan Yojna card, etc. we have given everything to bring development to the islands.”

After he visits the Lakshadweep islands, PM Modi will be on his way to a roadshow at Thrissur in Kerala. Later in the day in Thrissur, the PM attended the ‘Sthree Shakthi Modikkoppam (Woman Power with Modi) Mahila Sangamam’ at the Thekkinkadu Temple Ground, addressing over 2 lakh women from all walks of life. This gathering marked the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament during the Special Session in September 2023.

The women in Thrissur were all praise for PM Modi ahead of his public address. “Our PM Modi is the most respected leader, he is coming to Kerala to address the woman here...we are here to get a glimpse of him,” said some of the women from Thrissur.

#WATCH | Kerala: " Our PM Modi is the most respected leader, he is coming to Kerala to address the woman here...we are here to get a glimpse of him", say women from Thrissur

PM Modi will address a mass gathering of women at the Bharatiya Janata Party's Mahila Conference, today. pic.twitter.com/3bq1v9tIp8

— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2024

Here are the programmes of PM Modi in Lakshadweep and Kerala

Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi's Public Programmes in Lakshadweep and Kerala on 3rd January 2024.

Watch live:
📺https://t.co/ZFyEVlesOi
📺https://t.co/vpP0MIos7C
📺https://t.co/lcXkSnOnsV
📺https://t.co/4XQ2GzrhRl pic.twitter.com/tHntt59kjF

— BJP (@BJP4India) January 3, 2024

Digital Lakshadweep

The prime minister also announced the completion of the project for high-speed Internet in Lakshadweep. The Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection (KLI-SOFC) project was announced by the PM on Independence Day 2020. With the completion of the project, Lakshadweep will experience submarine optical fire cable connectivity for the first time, with a landmark increase in speed from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps. It will further aid the usage of digital products, telemedicine and digital currency.

“In 2020, I gave a guarantee that within 1,000 days high-speed Internet will be provided to you. Today Kochi-Lakshadweep submarine optical fibre project has been inaugurated, and this will provide high-speed Internet here," said PM Narendra Modi.

The PM distributed bicycles, laptops, Kisan Cards and Ayushman Cards to beneficiaries of several schemes in Kavaratti.

At Kadmat Island, also known as Cardamom Island, PM Modi will inaugurate the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant. The new plant will produce 1.5 lakh litres of drinking water daily.

PM’s MASSIVE infrastructure plans for south India

PM Modi visited Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu on January 2 to inaugurate the new terminal at the Tiruchirapalli International Airport. Earlier in the day, the PM graced the 38th Convocation ceremony of Bharathidasan University in Trichy.

Projects worth crores of rupees announced in air, road, rail and water

PM Modi announced new railway projects to boost rail capacity, including the Salem–Magnesite Junction–Omalur–Mettur Dam line and the Madurai - Tuticorin line.

The prime minister also announced five national highway projects, including the four-lane Trichy-Kallagam route on NH-81, the four-lane Chettikulam-Natham road of NH-785, and the four-lane road from Mugaiyur-Marakkanam on NH-332A.

In the shipping sector, PM Modi inaugurated the General Cargo Berth-II at Kamarajar Port.

PM Narendra Modi also announced projects worth Rs 9,000 crore in the petroleum and natural gas sectors.