Assure all possible support for Puducherry's development, says PM Modi

"Puducherry has a lot of potential for industrial and tourism development that will provide a lot of employment opportunities," Modi said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his government will provide support for the development of Puducherry.

After laying the foundation stone for various projects at Puducherry on Thursday, Modi said, "The people of Puducherry are talented. This land is beautiful. I am here to personally assure all possible support from my government for the development of Puducherry."

Puducherry recently saw political turmoil after the Congress government fell early this week. Earlier, Tamilsai Soundararajan replaced Kiran Bedi as lieutenant governor (LG) of Puducherry. Soundararajan was shifted to the Union Territory from Telangana, where she was the governor.

The prime minister said that across India farmers are innovating and it was the government's duty to ensure their produce gets good markets. "Good roads do exactly that," said the prime minister, after laying the foundation stone for the four-laning of Sattanathapuram-Nagapattinam National Highway section, which will draw industries to the area and generate job opportunities for local youth. The capital cost to be incurred in this project is about Rs. 2426 crore.

"The coast  is the soul of Puducherry.  There is so much potential in fisheries, port, shipping  and the blue economy," said Modi after laying the foundation stone of Puducherry Port Development under Sagarmala Scheme. "Puducherry has a lot of potential for industrial and tourism development that will provide a lot of employment opportunities," he said.

He added, one sector that will play a key role in the coming years is healthcare. Nations that invest in healthcare will shine, said Modi, after laying the foundation stone of the medical college building at Karaikal New Campus- Phase I, Karaikal District (JIPMER). The estimated cost of the project is Rs 491 crore.    

"Prosperity is closely linked to good health. In the last 7 years, India has made many efforts to improve fitness and wellness," said the PM, adding that the DBT has helped several beneficiaries under various schemes.

Modi will lay the foundation stone for the development of a minor port at Puducherry under Sagarmala Scheme. Estimated to be built at Rs 44 crore, it will provide connectivity to Chennai and facilitate cargo movement for industries in Puducherry.

From Puducherry, he will fly to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to launch projects worth over Rs 12,000 crore.