PM Modi harps on ‘double-engine’ govt in poll-bound K’taka

Tumakuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his third visit to poll-bound Karnataka in less than a month on Monday sought to highlight the importance of ‘Double Engine Sarkar’ for speedy developmental activities.

The PM inaugurated the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter factory — the country’s largest chopper manufacturing facility –, laid the foundation stone for the new industrial township along the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor and Jal Jeevan mission project providing drinking water to the water starved regions of Tumakuru district.

The HAL facility will produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonne with a total business of more than Rs 4 lakh crore over a period of 20 years at this facility in Gubbi taluk of Tumakuru, officials said.

“The inauguration of the helicopter manufacturing unit of the HAL is an example of how the ‘double-engine’ (same party governing both at Centre and in State) government works,” the Prime Minister said.

The double-engine government’s focus is not just on physical infrastructure but also on social infrastructure, Modi said, adding that the government has earmarked Rs 20,000 crore on ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ to ensure potable piped water to every house.

Paying his obeisance to Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Math, he lauded the state for being the land of saints and monks where science and spirituality go hand in hand.

“Shivakumara Swamiji had run three-pronged commensality of ‘Anna, Akshara and Aashraya’ (food, education and shelter), which is now being continued by Siddalinga Swamiji.” Shivakumara Swamiji, who died on 2019 at the age of 111 was a highly respected seer from the dominant Lingayat community, considered a key vote base of the BJP.

“With the blessings of saints, we are dedicating to public projects that will give jobs to youths, empower women and strengthen the army with the power of Made in India,” Modi said.

According to officials, the new industrial township on Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor on the National Highway-48 under the National Industrial Development Programme is an 8,500-acre project, which will be completed in a phased manner.

The first phase for which Modi laid the foundation will be spread over 1,722 acres and it will be a mix of industrial, residential, commercial and institutional development.

The target sectors will be food products, textile, electronics, auto and auto components, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, engineering and general industry.