PM Modi highlights self-reliance, rebukes opponents for past dependence
Surat, June 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while laying the foundation stone and inaugurating various development projects in Surat, Gujarat on Friday, said that those criticizing the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ campaign are the same people who kept the country dependent on other countries for so long and are still trying to weaken India’s resolve.
Prime Minister said that the world is going through a period of unprecedented challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, wars in various regions, and the global energy crisis have affected the entire world. Despite fluctuations in petroleum product prices and disruptions in the gas supply chain, India has strongly faced these challenges through the collective efforts of its 1.4 billion citizens.
He said that self-reliance in the energy sector is the most urgent need today, and the importance of the capabilities developed by the country in the last 12 years is clearly visible in the current global situation. Modi said that Gujarat has provided a strong foundation for the country by expanding its capacity in refining, solar, and wind energy. India’s total renewable energy capacity has reached 250 gigawatts, of which Gujarat alone contributes 50 gigawatts. Nearly one-fifth of the country’s green energy comes from Gujarat.
The Prime Minister said that the country is now moving forward in future energy sectors such as green hydrogen and green ammonia, and Gujarat will play a significant role in this. He said that Hazira is being developed as a major maritime industrial hub in the country and is emerging as an important hub for self-reliant India.
Modi said that to accelerate the Self-reliant India campaign, the government has paid special attention to connectivity. Projects like the Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway, the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), and the Bullet Train are part of this vision.
Targeting the political opposition, the Prime Minister said that the people of the country stand with the government that prioritizes development. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) received widespread public support in various Panchayat, Municipal, and Municipal elections, including the recent elections in West Bengal, Assam, and Puducherry. According to him, the public has rejected anarchy, uncertainty, and negative politics.
He alleged that the Congress has been seeking political opportunity by creating an atmosphere of anarchy and uncertainty for the last 12 years, but the public has consistently responded. Modi said that the Congress has been marginalized in Gujarat, and even in the states where it has governments, the public is dissatisfied with its governance. He cited the local body elections in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab, where the Congress has suffered setbacks. Referring to Karnataka, he said that there is public dissatisfaction with the Congress government in that state, and this is why the party had to change its Chief Minister.
Referring to his first visit to Gujarat after the local body elections, the Prime Minister said that the people of Gujarat have consistently blessed the BJP for the past two and a half decades, and the party broke all previous records in the recent Zila Panchayat, Tehsil Panchayat, Municipal, and Municipal Corporation elections. He said that since entering politics in 1987, his victory march has been uninterrupted, and that it is rare for any party in the democratic world to receive such prolonged public support.
Modi said that this overwhelming mandate gives him the responsibility to further advance the mission of service. He described the resolve for a developed Gujarat and a developed India as the government’s primary goal, saying it will be accomplished with a spirit of service and dedication.
Praising Surat, the Prime Minister said that it is not just a city, but a “spirit.” He said that despite repeatedly receiving cleanliness awards, Surat still gives top priority to the cleanliness campaign. Once affected by epidemics like the plague, this city has now earned nationwide recognition for its cleanliness. He commended the efforts made over the past two and a half decades and the contributions of citizens, officials, employees, and public representatives.
Speaking at an event organized on the occasion of World Environment Day, Modi said that the world is moving towards a greener future and India is playing an active role in this transformation. He noted that Gujarat took initiatives in this direction long ago. At the beginning of this century, the state created a separate department for renewable energy and developed the country’s first solar park in Charanka village in Patan district, which is now an important hub in the renewable energy sector.
The Prime Minister noted that over the past 12 years, a massive public movement has been launched to convert waste into wealth, leading to cleaner and greener cities. He said that the Tapi Barrage Project has been approved to ensure a sustainable supply of drinking water in Surat for decades to come. Water management and drainage systems are among the government’s priorities, and several projects have been inaugurated and laid the foundation stone in this direction.
He said that Surat is not limited to cleanliness and the circular economy, but is also rapidly advancing in other areas of green growth. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that India will achieve new heights in the coming years through development, innovation, green energy, and self-reliance.
