LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a day-long visit to his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 12,148 crore besides having an interactive session with BJP workers as part of the party’s ongoing campaign -- ‘Tiffin pe Charcha’ -- on Friday.
Before reaching Varanasi, the PM will flag off the Vande Bharat Express train from Gorakhpur railway station to Lucknow. It will be the first edition of Vande Bharat Express trains of the Northeastern Railway.
As per local BJP sources, the interactive session with party workers will be followed by a lunch which the PM will have with party workers.
“The PM will also address a public meeting at Wajidpur area in Harhua block, around 8 km from the city, on the evening of July 7 and he is likely to leave Varanasi on July 8 morning. So far, no programme is scheduled for July 8,” said a BJP leader in Varanasi.
According to the local administration, the PM will unveil 19 projects worth Rs 10,720 crore and lay foundation stone of 13 projects of Rs 1,427 crore. He will hand over certificates and keys to three beneficiaries from each of three schemes including—PM SVANidhi scheme, rural housing scheme and Ayushman card scheme.
The PM will also interact with 10 beneficiaries of each of these three schemes. This will kickstart the Grih Pravesh of 5 lakh PMAY beneficiaries, distribution of 1.25 lakh PMSVANidhi loans to eligible beneficiaries and distribution of 2.88 crore Ayushman cards.
Over 14,000 beneficiaries of various welfare schemes will be invited to the rally from six districts including Varanasi, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Bhadohi.
The PM will also dedicate three railway lines including Ghazipur city-Aunrihar rail line, Aunrihar-Jaunpur line and the Bhatni-Aunrihar line to the nation. This will mark the completion of 100% electrification of railway lines in Uttar Pradesh.
The projects in Varanasi that will be inaugurated by Modi include a unique floating changing rooms jetty at Dashashwamedh Ghat, which will facilitate bathing of devotees in the Ganga. He will also lay the foundation of the same facility at six more ghats to save devotees taking a holy dip facing an uncomfortable situation while changing.