VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said India will become a model of development in the next five years, adding that it is the "Modi guarantee".
Modi reached his Varanasi parliamentary constituency Thursday night and is scheduled to launch several development projects and address public meetings.
He interacted with winners of the 'Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita' at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) here.
"Kashi is now being seen as a model of development and heritage across the world. The world is witnessing today how modernity is developed around culture and tradition," the prime minister said in his address at the university.
"In the next five years, the country will become a model of development. This is the Modi guarantee," he added.
The echo of India's rich heritage, Modi told the gathering, is being heard all over the world.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the prime minister at the university.
The BJP's state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary was also present.
In his address, Adityanath described the prime minister as the most popular leader in the world.
Modi will be presenting awards to the winners of the Kashi Sansad Gyan Pratiyogita, Kashi Sansad Photography Pratiyogita, and Kashi Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita.
The prime minister will visit the Sant Guru Ravidas Janmasthali before attending a function to commemorate the 647th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas.
An official statement said that in the afternoon, the prime minister will attend a public function, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth more than Rs 13,000 crore.
To enhance Varanasi's road connectivity, Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several road projects, including the four-laning of the Ghargra-Bridge-Varanasi section of National Highway 233 and the four-laning of the Sultanpur-Varanasi section of National Highway 56.
To provide impetus to industrial development in the region, he will also inaugurate an HPCL LPG bottling plant in Sewapuri, the Banas Kashi Sankul milk processing unit at UPSIDA Agro Park Karkhiyaon, various infrastructure work at the UPSIDA Agro Park, Karkhiyaon, and a silk fabric printing common facility centre for weavers.