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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, March 11, inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth around Rs 10,800 crore in Ernakulam, marking a major push for infrastructure, energy, and industrial growth in Kerala.
Speaking after inaugurating the projects, the Prime Minister said the initiatives, together valued at nearly Rs 11,000 crore, were being offered “with humility” to the people of Kerala and would help accelerate economic growth and employment.
Modi also addressed the NDA Election Convention, which marked the official launch of the National Democratic Alliance campaign for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. The Prime Minister was joined by leaders from alliance partners, including Thushar Vellappally, president of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, and Sabu M Jacob, chairman of Twenty20 Kizhakkambalam.
The programme was attended by thousands of workers and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Due to overcrowding at the venue, many attendees were unable to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister.
Several workers from Twenty20, the Kizhakkambalam-based corporate-backed organisation led by the Kitex Group’s Sabu M Jacob, also attended the event. The organisation joined the NDA in January, and members said they were present to express their support for the alliance and the Prime Minister.
Speaking with TNM, Govindan, a member of Twenty20, said he was personally pleased about the development. “I am happy that we got the chance to stand with the party of a leader who is recognised across the world. Rather than standing alone, it is better to join with other parties. We believe that if we receive the BJP’s support in a stronghold, we will be able to deliver a good performance in the upcoming Assembly elections,” he said.
The projects
Among the key projects launched was the foundation stone for a major polypropylene unit at the Kochi Refinery operated by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. The facility is expected to produce around four lakh tonnes of polypropylene annually, strengthening India’s petrochemical manufacturing capacity and supporting downstream industries.
In the transport sector, Modi inaugurated two national highway projects: the six-laning of the Thalappady–Chengala stretch of National Highway 66 and the six-laning of the Kozhikode Bypass from Vengalam to Ramanattukara. These projects are expected to ease traffic congestion along Kerala’s coastal corridor and improve connectivity across northern parts of the state.
Highlighting India’s economic transformation, Modi said the country has emerged as a major global manufacturing hub in sectors ranging from artificial intelligence to semiconductors. Sustaining this growth, he said, requires significant expansion in energy capacity, particularly from renewable sources.
As part of this green energy push, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a 50-MW floating solar power project in Kerala aimed at boosting the state’s renewable energy capacity.
Modi said the world today recognises India’s rapid progress in infrastructure development, supported by unprecedented budget allocations by the Union government. Kerala, he added, is also benefiting from this national development momentum.
Several major road projects across the state are being cleared, he said, which would benefit farmers, traders, and the tourism sector by improving logistics and connectivity. Emphasising the economic multiplier effect of infrastructure investments, the Prime Minister said every rupee spent in the sector generates jobs and economic activity.
The newly launched projects, he said, would create employment opportunities and give fresh momentum to the vision of a developed and prosperous Kerala.
Meanwhile, the Left Democratic Front government in the state boycotted the official inauguration of the projects in protest against the exclusion of the state Public Works Minister, PA Mohammed Riyas, from the function.
With IANS inputs