Amrit Bharat trains will enhance Kerala rail connectivity, says PM Modi
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said rail connectivity in the state will get a major boost with the introduction of four new trains, including three Amrit Bharat Express services, aimed at improving faster and affordable travel.
The PM in his address after flagging off three new Amrit Bharat Express trains and a passenger train said the whole country has been striving together for a 'Vikasit Bharath' and the cities play a key role in achieving this objective.
For the last 11 years, the central government has been investing heavily on developing urban infrastructure.
He said the government has been taking measures to assist the poor inhabiting the urban centres. Four crore houses have been built for urban poors under the PM Awaz Yojana. As many as 25 lakh people from the state have been benefitted from the scheme.
The PM also added that the central government's decision to exempt people earning upto Rs 12 lakh from paying income tax will benefit the middle-class and salaried people of the state.
Modi added that the central government is focussing on developing science and research, connectivity and healthcare. "By developing Kerala only the dream of a developed India can be achieved," he said and added that the centre will offer all the assistance required towards achieving this objective.
The PM also inaugurated the issuance of SVANidhi Credit Card and disbursal of PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries across the country.
The Amrit Bharat trains that have been flagged off will run on Nagercoil–Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram–Tambaram and Thiruvananthapuram–Charlapalli routes. The passenger train will ply its service between Thrissur and Guruvayur.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the CSIR-NIIST Innovation Hub. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram. He also inaugurated the new Poojappura Head Post Office building.