Posted On:
13 NOV 2026 3:58PM by PIB Delhi
Greetings to My Brothers and Sisters of Bengaluru! Governor of Karnataka, Sudha Yadav Ji, Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar Ji, Minister in the State Government, Krishna Byre Gowda Ji, and my colleague in the Lok Sabha, who have sent a brilliant young leader from Bengaluru, Tejasvi Surya Ji, other distinguished dignitaries present here, ladies and gentlemen.
This is the first occasion on which I have had the opportunity to share the stage at a programme with our Governor, Sudha Yadav Ji. Perhaps the people of Karnataka are not yet fully familiar with her. But I would certainly like to speak about her life. What does service to the nation mean? What does dedication to the nation mean? We can learn this from the life of Sudha Ji and her family. When the Kargil war was being fought, her husband was martyred in the war. Even after that, in the memory of her husband, she has continued to uphold her resolve to serve Mother India and has been working with a spirit of service to this day. Having served in Parliament for many years, she guided the nation on several important issues. And today, from the land of Karnataka, she is contributing towards the happiness, peace and prosperity of the people of Karnataka. I extend my very best wishes to Sudha Ji.
First of all, I respectfully pay my obeisance to Annamma Tai, the presiding deity of Bengaluru, and to Nada Prabhu Kempegowda Ji. This day is going to give a new impetus to the development journey of Bengaluru and Karnataka. Projects worth more than Rs. 15,000 crore, related to connectivity and energy security, are being launched from here today. From projects related to metro and railways to initiatives for energy security, all these projects will give new strength to Karnataka's infrastructure.
Friends,
Infrastructure plays a very important role in the development journey of any country. Better connectivity creates new opportunities for progress, employment and industries. And when these opportunities for development reach every section of society, the fight against poverty also becomes stronger. As a result, around 50 crore citizens of the country have come out of extreme poverty in recent years. The projects being launched today will also take this development journey forward. They will give a new impetus to the development of a Viksit Karnataka and, through a Viksit Karnataka, to the creation of a Viksit Bharat. They will also further strengthen Bengaluru's identity as a tech city. I extend my very best wishes to the people of Karnataka for all these projects.
Friends,
Just a short while ago, the new Pink Line of Bengaluru Metro was dedicated to the people of Bengaluru. With this new metro line, connectivity to IIM Bengaluru and several educational institutions will become even better. In addition, many areas that are known as major business, technology and commercial centres of Bengaluru will also be connected by the metro. This means that lakhs of people in Bengaluru will not only have greater convenience in commuting, but will also save both money and time.
Friends,
Yesterday was the death anniversary of the late Anant Kumar Ji. He had a special attachment to this region. Seeing this metro line today, his soul too must have felt delighted. I pay my heartfelt tributes to him.
Friends,
Bengaluru is India's Silicon Valley. It accounts for more than one-third of the country's IT exports. This city is a major engine of India's innovation and economic growth. Therefore, the rapid development of the entire Bengaluru region and the expansion of modern public transport are major priorities of the Central Government. With this vision, the Central Government is supporting the expansion of Namma Metro. In 2014, Namma Metro was only seventeen kilometres long. Today, its total network has grown to more than 100 kilometres. We are continuously scoring centuries. Shivakumar Ji, I was telling you: you may have heard a few days ago that India scored a century in Grandmasters Chess. India now has 100 chess grandmasters, and they have emerged during this very period.
Friends,
After Delhi-NCR and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Bengaluru has become the third city in the country to have a metro network of over 100 kilometres. This success of Namma Metro is not limited to just one project. It is the result of the country's new approach towards ease of living and ease of travel. It is the outcome of the country's commitment to improving the lives of middle-class families.
Friends,
Today, Indian Railways is leaving behind the old mindset of the era of slavery. The country's Railways is now creating a new heritage, a new legacy. Our railway stations, our railway engines and our railway coaches - everything now bears India's own imprint and identity. Vande Bharat trains and Amrit Bharat Stations are a glimpse of the railway services of Viksit Bharat. More than sixty railway stations in Karnataka, including Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road stations, have also now become Amrit Bharat Stations. These stations reflect both sensitivity and modernity. Special facilities are available for every passenger, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities. An effort is being made to provide the same facilities at railway stations to poor and middle-class families that were earlier available at airports.
Friends,
Over the past 10–12 years, India's railway budget has increased several times over. During this period, as Tejasvi Ji has just mentioned, Karnataka's railway budget has also increased ninefold. Even today, Karnataka has received four Amrit Stations and two projects relating to doubling and electrification. A few days ago, Karnataka received its first Vande Bharat Sleeper train, and today Karnataka has received a Vande Bharat train connecting it with Goa. Through this train, people in Karnataka, including those in Mangaluru and along the entire coastal route, will get a new experience of travelling by a semi-high-speed train.
Friends,
Along with connectivity, energy security also plays a major role in the creation of Viksit Bharat. The ongoing war around Iran and the Gulf countries has shown how important energy security is. This has also been a challenging time for India. However, the steps taken over the past decade towards energy security have helped us face this crisis with strength. We have increased our capacity to produce petrol, diesel and LPG; developed arrangements for storing crude oil; expanded solar, hydro and wind energy; achieved almost 100 per cent electrification of the Railways; and strengthened public transport such as the metro. The three projects whose foundation stones have been laid or which have been inaugurated in Karnataka today will also give new strength to India's energy security. The LPG project in Mangaluru will increase the country's LPG storage capacity by 80,000 metric tonnes. The Devanagundi Marketing Terminal will make the supply of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel more organised and reliable. Meanwhile, the CBG plant in Bengaluru will produce around 13 tonnes of biogas every day. This will improve waste management and also save the money spent on importing natural gas.
Friends,
An important aspect of energy security is electricity generation. Today, India is moving forward with the goal of leadership in new technologies, from chips to ships, and from AI and data centres to quantum computing. Continuous efforts are also being made to ensure that the country has adequate electricity for this purpose. Today, India's renewable energy capacity has crossed 300 gigawatts. To achieve clean energy, India is also increasing the number of its nuclear power plants.
Friends,
Because of the schemes of the Central Government, today the citizens of India are becoming producers of electricity along with being consumers of electricity. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, more than 60 lakh families across the country have installed solar plants on their rooftops. These include more than 40,000 families in Karnataka as well. The Central Government has provided assistance of around Rs. 80,000 to each family. To every family. Similarly, under the PM-KUSUM scheme, arrangements are being made for irrigation through more than 8 lakh solar pumps for farmers in Karnataka. This means that the food providers of Karnataka are now also becoming energy providers. These schemes are reducing electricity expenses, while also creating new opportunities for income and employment.
Friends,
When a country moves forward with a mission, when every citizen becomes a part of development, and when the resources contributed by taxpayers are properly invested in development, the results are also encouraging and meaningful. In 2014, we began our work with the resolve of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Today, as a result of these very efforts, the middle class is expanding in the country, and a new Aspirational Class is emerging. This is a section of society whose aspirations are growing. It wants a refrigerator and a washing machine for its home. It wants a scooter or a motorcycle for its family. It wants to provide better education, nutrition and healthcare facilities to its children. It wants to spend on tourism and have new experiences. These growing aspirations are creating new demand in the country. From automobiles to electronics, and from tourism to the services sector, new industries, factories and employment opportunities are emerging. In other words, this neo-middle class is becoming a major engine of growth for India's economy. The interests of this neo-middle class, which is present in large numbers in Karnataka and Bengaluru as well, are among the priorities of the Central Government.
Friends,
The Central Government is continuously working to increase the savings of the middle class and put more money in their hands. We have exempted annual incomes of up to Rs. 12 lakh from income tax. By changing the TDS rules, we have provided relief to senior citizens and those earning rental income. Through the next-generation GST reforms, we have made everyday goods cheaper. By removing GST on personal health and life insurance, we have made insurance more affordable.
Friends,
Our effort is to increase the savings of the middle class, strengthen its purchasing power and enable it to fulfil its family's dreams while also contributing to the country's economic progress. The event being held in Karnataka today will also give a new impetus to this development journey. I extend my very best wishes to all of you for the new projects. Thank you very much to all of you!
DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s address. Original address was delivered in Hindi.
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