Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, October 12, inaugurated and laid the foundation of multiple development projects in Uttarakhand worth nearly Rs 4,200 crore. The projects, numbering 23 in total, will give impetus to infrastructure, education, health, electricity, drinking water, sports, tourism, disaster mitigation, and horticulture sectors in the hill state.

The projects included 21,398 poly-houses, the cultivation of high-density intensive apple orchards, five works of double-laning of roads and slope treatment of national highways, and the construction of 32 bridges in the state. These also included strengthening of disaster management mechanism, expansion of education, health and sports facilities and development of temples in the Manaskhand area on the lines of Chardham. The projects inaugurated by Modi included various infrastructure development projects and those aimed at increasing the availability of drinking water and electricity facilities in the hilly areas.

"...We have started developing the border villages not as the last but the first villages of the country. This work could have been done by earlier governments. However, earlier governments did not develop the border area due to the fear that the enemy might take advantage of it and come inside. Today's new India is moving forward, leaving behind this fearful thinking of the earlier governments..." Modi said.

During his one-day trip to the Kumaon region, Modi interacted with the locals in Gunji village. He also tried his hands at a traditional musical instrument and interacted with local artists, the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Border Roads Organisation personnel.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries his hands at a traditional musical instrument of Uttarakhand, in Gunji village.

PM Modi also interacts with local artists, the Indian Army, ITBP and BRO personnel. pic.twitter.com/RuPNQrSXBZ— ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2023

Earlier in the day, Modi had a darshan of Adi Kailash, and offered prayers at Jageshwar Dham and Parvati Kund.

Prime Minister @narendramodi performs pooja at #ParvatiKund, Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/hdNAwSCc1Q

— PIB India (@PIB_India) October 12, 2023

In a post on X, Modi said, "Our government is committed to the welfare of each and every individual of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand and the state's rapid development. To impart more speed to it, I will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several projects in Pithoragarh. I will also get the good opportunity to interact with the people of Gunji village. I also look eagerly forward to a darshan of the spiritually significant Parvati Kund and a puja at Jageshwar Dham during the tour," he said.

देवभूमि उत्तराखंड के जन-जन के कल्याण और राज्य के तेज विकास के लिए हमारी सरकार प्रतिबद्ध है। इसे और गति देने के लिए पिथौरागढ़ में कई परियोजनाओं का लोकार्पण और शिलान्यास करूंगा। यहां के गुंजी गांव में लोगों से संवाद का सुअवसर भी मिलेगा। अपने इस दौरे में आध्यात्मिक महत्त्व के…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 12, 2023

Cultural troupes from Uttarakhand's Kumaon region welcomed Modi at several points of a renovated 6-km road decorated with murals and paintings as he travelled from the Naini Saini airport to a public meeting venue in Pithoragarh. Modi began his visit with a darshan of Adi Kailash peak, the abode of Lord Shiva, at Jolingkong, and then head to Gunji village. He met locals and security personnel.

He offered prayers to Lord Shiva at the Jageshwar Dham and addressed the public meeting in Pithoragarh.

With inputs from PTI

First Published:Oct 12, 2023 10:30 AM IST