NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday criticized some of the state governments for not participating in his government’s prominent schemes and projects and suggested that the Center will not abandon the plans even if they did not cooperate.
Among them was the bullet train project, where Maharashtra Government You haven’t kept your end of the deal During Pragati’s meeting with Union and state government officials, Modi called on the railways to complete the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project at least in the Gujarat part on time, if problems are not resolved for the stretch that falls in Maharashtra, sources told TOI.
In the first interaction after a 10-month gap, the prime minister also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress in pre-construction activities in Maharashtra for the ambitious bullet train project.
So far, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd has tendered works for 325 km of the 349 km of this corridor, which falls in Gujarat. Land acquisition in Gujarat is close to 85% for this project, while less than 25% has been acquired in Maharashtra.
On September 6, TOI had first reported “Despite the delay, bullet trains could start operating in Gujarat before 2024.”
Sources told TOI that the prime minister lifted the west bengal administration for the dismal progress of PM SVANidhi, a highly subsidized microfinance scheme for street vendors affected by the national shutdown. “PM told the secretary-in-state that it was up to the state if they wanted to bring this benefit to the poor. He rejected the state’s view that they had advertised Rs 2,000 ex gratia for street vendors. He said the question is whether the state’s priority is to revive their livelihood or provide ex-gratia, ”said an official. So far, only 60 street vendors in Bengal have made use of the subsidized loan of Rs 10,000 each against the target of 3 lakh. Modi also asked the Assam government to increase this scheme.
The prime minister noted that the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project has not been completed in the last 15 years despite different governments having pledged to complete it.
The prime minister also urged Odisha government to speed up the relocation of families affected by a railway project.
During the review, Modi asked the UP Chief Secretary to prepare a detailed plan for the development of Ayodhya to meet the infrastructure needs for the next 30-40 years considering a large increase in pilgrimage to this holy city once the Ram Temple is built.
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