Page 35 - NIS English 16-31 March, 2026

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Prime Minister’s full programme. Gifts for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry | INFRA

Major Projects Inaugurated and Puducherry included
Foundation Stone Laying in Puducherry in SASCI scheme
n Launch of e-Bus operations under the PM e-Bus Service.
n Inauguration of Puducherry government schemes in the Under the Special Assistance to States
sewerage and water supply sectors. for Capital Investment (SASCI), the
n Inauguration of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Engineering Block and foundation stone was laid for various
Ganga Hostel at the National Institute of Technology, Karaikal, projects covering key sectors such as
the modernisation of the Regional Cancer Centre at JIPMER, and urban roads, drainage networks, public
new buildings and hostels at the University of Puducherry. buildings, student hostels, and sports
n 750-acre Karasur-Sedarapet Industrial Area dedicated. facilities. The Government of India has
n Laying of the foundation stone for the construction of 41 approved the inclusion of Puducherry in
rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the the SASCI scheme, which was originally
development of a heritage town in Puducherry, and mangrove limited to states.
conservation works under the Mishti Scheme.

Fast development in Tamil Nadu Major Projects in Tamil Nadu
n 4,000 kilometres of highways have been constructed
in Tamil Nadu since 2014. n Laid the foundation stone for the four-laning of
n The railway budget has increased nearly ninefold the Marakkanam-Puducherry section of NH-
332A and the Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram
since the current government took office. section of NH-87.
n The average annual budget allocation between 2009 n Inauguration of 8 redeveloped railway stations
and 2014 was only n880 crore, while for 2026-27 it under the Amrut Bharat Station Scheme,
has been increased to n7,600 crore. including Morappur, Bommidi, Srivilliputhur,
n More than 1,300 kilometres of new railway tracks Sholavandan, Manaparai, Pollachi Junction,
have been laid in the state, and the electrification Karaikudi Junction, and Tiruvarur Junction.
target has been achieved at 97 percent. n Dedication of the Chennai Beach-Chennai
n Last year, the new Pamban Bridge, India’s first Egmore fourth line to the nation.
vertical bridge, was inaugurated. n Inauguration of 3 new All India Radio FM relay
n Currently, nine Vande Bharat and nine Amrut Bharat transmitters at Kumbakonam, Yercaud and Vellore.
trains are serving the people of Tamil Nadu, with
coaches manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory
(IFC) in Chennai. The Bengaluru-Chennai and Chennai-Hyderabad
n 77 railway stations in the state are being modernised bullet train corridors are proposed in FY 2026-
under the Amrut Bharat Station Scheme. 27. Tamil Nadu has been included in the Rare
n Infrastructure funding for Tamil Nadu has tripled Earth Corridor, which aims to promote advanced
over the last decade. manufacturing, research, and technology development.

people-centric transportation system. The Union research, and technology development. The govern-
Budget included Tamil Nadu as part of the Rare Earth ment’s overall goal is to develop Tamil Nadu to build a
Corridor, which promotes advanced manufacturing, Viksit Bharat 2047. n

March 16-31, 2026 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 33