Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM Inaugurates Chandigarh - Morinda new railway line

"I am delighted to be here in Ludhiana today. Whenever I come home to Punjab, my mind is filled with memories. I am not only happy to be in Punjab, I am also proud. Each time I come here I feel proud to see the energy and enthusiasm of the people of Punjab. Punjab is one of the pioneers of development in modern India. Through sheer hard work and effort, they have converted Punjab into the granary of India and in the process, became the most prosperous people. The people of Punjab have done remarkably well wherever they have gone - within our sub-continent, and across the world. I salute the heart, the mind and soul of all Punjabis.

Brothers and sisters, today I am also particularly happy to be here in the company of my esteemed Cabinet colleague, Shri Lalu Prasadji. He has a special place in my heart. I have always enjoyed the warmth of his friendship. I am also very impressed by the turnaround he has achieved in the Indian Railways.

When the UPA government came into office, the railways were in deep financial trouble. There was no light at the end of the tunnel and the future was bleak. Laluji showed a new light to this organization. Under his visionary leadership, Indian Railways has staged a dramatic turnaround with the same employees and assets.

It is, however, necessary that this momentum is maintained. Railways must once again become the engine of national growth. Our Government will give India a world class railways system. When Lalu Prasadji came to meet me the first time after taking charge as Railway Minister, I told Lalu Prasadji to make Indian Railways World Class. I am truly happy that he is taking Indian Railways in that direction.

The Dedicated Freight Corridor in one the of the most important initiatives by the Railways. Costing Rs 22,000 crores, it is the largest single railway project since Independence. It will connect Mumbai and Kolkata to Delhi. I had promised Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that we will be extending this to Ludhiana, which is the heart of Punjab and its most important industrial hub. Laluji has kept my promise, and here we are today, launching the work on this gigantic project.

This project will change the face of Punjab and of all regions through which it passes. It will bring top class transport links to Punjab. The products of Punjab - textiles, hosiery, sports goods, machine tools, bicycles, industrial products - all of them will find easy access to our ports and to export markets. Coal will now come easily to the state, removing the power shortage and giving a spur to the establishment more thermal power plants. It will also bring steel from steel plants in the east. And all this will be done at a cheaper cost. I am confident that this project will usher in a new era of industrial growth and prosperity in Punjab.

At the national level too, this Dedicated Freight Corridor will boost our infrastructure, promote industrial development, increase exports from interior regions and create new job opportunities. It will indeed be a landmark on our infrastructure map and in the history of Indian Railways. I am also happy that today I am inaugurating the Chandigarh-Morinda railway line. This railway link will be an alternative to the existing railway route between Chandigarh and Ludhiana. This is a long pending demand of the people and will reduce the distance and traveling time between two important cities of Punjab.

I am also happy that we are starting a new Jan Shatabdi Express from Amritsar to Haridwar. This new train will bring the holy Ganga closer to the holy city of the Golden Temple. Apart from these projects, we have several other important railway projects such as the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link and the doubling of the Jalandhar-Pathankot-Jammu Tawi railway line. These will have a very big positive impact on the economy of Punjab and the entire region. For the last 4� years, Shri Amarinder Singh and his colleagues in the Congress government have been working tirelessly for the development of the state. For the last two years, the UPA government in Delhi has been providing the maximum possible assistance to Punjab. The results are gradually becoming visible and I am confident that a promising future awaits this region.

We have worked hard to improve the lot of farmers. Not only have we raised the prices for wheat and paddy, we have also been working for a second Green Revolution in Punjab. The farmers of Punjab, who feed the entire nation, can easily lead the transformation of Indian agriculture. It is with this in mind that we have given Rs 100 crores specially to the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana. This University must once again bring new technology and new crops to keep Punjab as the land of milk and honey.

The state is moving to new areas in agriculture. Gradually more and more farmers are growing horticultural crops. The Field Fresh Centre of Excellence which I will be launching in the afternoon at Ladhowal shows our commitment to creating new opportunities for Punjab's farmers. Punjab's farmers will get far greater incomes through high value horticulture than from paddy or wheat. And they will feed not just India but people across the world. I am aware that many farmers are facing financial problems. We have subsidized crop loans and farmers can now get credit at 7% only which is much lower than before. We also have an expert group which is looking into the problem of loans and debt in its totality and in a few months' time, we will come up with concrete solutions.

While Punjab can lead the second green revolution, its future depends on more industries and knowledge centers. To support industry, we have worked to improve the infrastructure of the state. The Ambala-Jalandhar and the Ludhiana-Chandigarh roads are being six-laned. The Amritsar-Jalandhar, Kiratpur - Chandigarh and Ambala - Chandigarh have been taken up under the NHAI road programme. This railway project and the new rail lines are major improvements in rail connectivity. We have allocated 3,000 Mega Watts of power from other plants in the country to improve power supply. For Ludhiana itself, we are working to develop a new international airport at Halwara. This will facilitate easy movement of people and goods to the rest of the world.

I am aware that, extra efforts are needed for the development of border districts of Punjab - Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Taran Taran, Firozpur. Government of India, alongwith Punjab Government is looking into the matter and I am confident that a solution will be found soon.

To improve the cities in the state, Ludhiana and Amritsar have been taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Under this Mission, Ludhiana will be provided assistance for water supply and sewerage projects. The state government is approaching us for a Mass Transport System for Ludhiana which too will be supported. A ring road for Ludhiana will also be supported. We have already sanctioned projects worth Rs 240 crores for Amritsar. We have supported many projects in Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib including the Galiara Project and the Khalsa Heritage Project. We have approved the transfer of the Gobindgarh Fort to the state of Punjab. The infrastructure at Wagah is also being improved to make it a major trade point between India and Pakistan. I must say that over the last two years, we have taken a number of steps to improve relations with Pakistan and the people of Punjab have benefited through better bus connections and trade opportunities. I am hopeful that as the situation normalizes, Punjab will once again become a major trading center with Pakistan and Central Asia.

The people of Punjab have been given a new start by Shri Amarinder Singh and his team. He has provided wise, forward looking leadership. Under his government, Punjab is on the rise once again. I am now confident that the people of Punjab can look forward to a bright era of agrarian prosperity and industrial development. We are bringing the fields, the factories and the markets of Punjab closer to consumers across India and the world. I wish every brother and sister in Punjab a bright and prosperous future. I salute their spirit. May you be ahead of the rest of the country at all times."