Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for major development projects worth over ₹33,700 crore in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. The projects span across power, oil & gas, rail, road, education, and housing sectors.
Key Announcements and Inaugurations
- Power Sector:
- Laid the foundation stone for NTPC’s Sipat Super Thermal Power Project Stage-III (1x800MW) in Bilaspur, worth ₹9,790 crore.
- Dedicated three power transmission projects under the Western Region Expansion Scheme (WRES) worth ₹560 crore.
- Railway and Transport:
- Flagged off the MEMU train service on the Abhanpur-Raipur rail section.
- Dedicated the complete electrification of Indian Railways’ network in Chhattisgarh.
- Announced the upgrading of the Kondagaon-Narayanpur section of NH-130D (47.5 km) to two lanes with a paved shoulder.
- Oil & Gas:
- Laid the foundation stone for BPCL’s City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Korea, Surajpur, Balrampur, and Surguja districts.
- Laid the foundation stone for the Visakh-Raipur Pipeline (VRPL) project of HPCL, spanning 540 km and worth ₹2,210 crore.
- Education & Housing:
- Distributed keys to beneficiaries under the PM Awas Yojana.
- Dedicated 130 PM SHRI schools across 29 districts in Chhattisgarh.
- Launched Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) at Raipur, aimed at improving education monitoring.
PM Modi Felicitated by Chhattisgarh CM
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai honored PM Modi with a traditional shawl and an idol of Maa Bilasa, the deity after whom Bilaspur city is named.
PM Modi’s Visit to Nagpur
Before arriving in Chhattisgarh, PM Modi visited Nagpur, where he:
- Paid tribute to RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar at Smruti Mandir, the RSS headquarters.
- Held a roadshow in Nagpur.
- Inaugurated the Loitering Munition Test Range at the Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited facility.
His visit to Nagpur coincided with Varsha Pratipada, the birth anniversary of Hedgewar, and he was accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.
With these massive infrastructure and development projects, PM Modi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to boosting Chhattisgarh’s growth and enhancing its connectivity, power infrastructure, and education sector.