Want to make Mumbai a global fintech capital, Maharashtra the top tourist State: PM Modi
The Hindu
PM Modi laid foundation stones and inaugurated multiple public projects worth ₹29,396 crore, announcing that he aims to make Mumbai the world’s capital in financial technology and Maharashtra the leading State in tourism.
In his maiden visit to Maharashtra after the recent Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid foundation stones and inaugurated multiple public projects worth ₹29,396 crore, announcing that he aims to make Mumbai the world’s capital in financial technology and Maharashtra the leading State in tourism.
“I aim to use Maharashtra’s power to transform it into an economic powerhouse of the world. Want to make Mumbai [the] global fintech capital,” Mr. Modi said, adding that he also wants Maharashtra to scale the top of the tourism charts. “There are so many magnificent forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a rich Konkan coastline and the entire Sahyadri mountain range. There is immense potential to explore medical and conference tourism.”
Addressing media owners and senior management at the inauguration of the Indian Newspaper Society Towers in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex area., he asked the media industry to make coordinated efforts to promote tourism of each Indian State to boost their economies.
The Prime Minister vowed to develop pilgrimage centres across the country to ease travel to such locations, making a specific reference to the ongoing Pandharpur Wari in Maharashtra. Two roads are in the works for the Wari: the 176 km Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi Marg, and the 102 km Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi Marg. Mr. Modi promised that these two routes would be operational soon.
He slammed Opposition political parties as “enemies” of development, even as he reiterated the ruling National Democratic Alliance’s resolution to create Viksit Bharat, or developed India, in the next 25 years.
“It is our goal that the quality of life improves for all. We are attempting to improve connectivity of Mumbai with the neighbouring areas... A decade ago, the metro line was limited to 8 km, which now is a network of 80 km and work is going on to create another 200 km,” the Prime Minister said.
A decade ago, the Mumbai Metro was a single line of 11.4 km. Now, a metro rail network of 46.5 km is operational in Mumbai and a further 166.97 km is under various stages of construction.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sought a report from the State government on a complaint that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had taken up works amounting to ₹387 crore in violation of rules in Varuna and Srirangapatna Assembly constituencies, allegedly on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s oral instructions.
“We are organising a health research convention, which comprises a couple of workshops, community-based learning, and also cardiac care. We also included a one-day seminar on medical education, how medical education has evolved in India and the U.K., and what we can learn from each other” said Dr. Piruthivi Sukumar Dean of the International Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Leeds during his interaction with The Hindu.