Prime Minister Narendra Modi said only a strong government at the Centre could harness the power of States to spur national development.
On April 25, Mr. Modi was in Thiruvananthapuram to flag off the Vande Bharath Express Train. He also announced several railway development projects, launched the Kochi Water Metro and laid the foundation stone for the Digital Science Park.
Mr. Modi’s comment came at a mammoth public meeting at Central Stadium. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in his welcome speech, had stressed the need to preserve and reinforce cooperative federalism.
The perspective of the leaders on Centre-State relations assumed political import against the backdrop of the raging nationwide controversy centred around the Union Government’s alleged trespasses on federalism and jurisdictional power and fiscal sovereignty of provincial governments.
In what appeared to be an election pitch ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Modi said that only a strong Central government, which takes proactive decisions in the national interest, could catalyse economic development and social progress by marching in lockstep with State governments.
Mr. Modi said service mentality guided the Centre’s actions. For one, it had invested heavily in developing robust and future-proof digital and physical connectivity.
“Such nation-building infrastructure would benefit the people uniformly, irrespective of their economic status, religion, caste, community or region. It would bring people closer, bridge the gap between cultures, and strengthen the concept of Ek Bharath (one nation). The era of ease of living and business has arrived”, Mr. Modi said.
Mr. Modi said the Centre had increased its allocation for Kerala’s rail development five-fold since the current disposition came to power in 2014.
The Centre has invested ₹10 lakh crores for improving rail, road and air infrastructure, public transport and logistics. Mr. Modi said Vande Bharat would become a bonafide semi-high-speed rail system in Kerala once the railways modernised track and signal system “within 28 months”.
Subsequently, the Vande Bharath Express Train service would extend from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangalore in Karnataka.
Mr. Modi said the Centre was focussed on youth skill development to tap the unrealised power of the country’s young demographic for national development.
Mr. Modi noted that Kerala’s climate, literacy, natural beauty, quality of life, famed cuisine and globally connected population favoured its economic and social ascendancy. The State would emerge as a lodestar for the entire country if it achieved its development potential.
Mr. Modi said the recent G-20-related meeting on the banks of the Kumarakam backwaters had spotlighted the State on the world map.
“I often highlight Kerala’s strengths in Mann Ki Baat (Prime Minister’s weekly radio programme broadcast on All India Radio). I interact with Keralites when I travel abroad. I urge everybody to be global ambassadors for Kerala’s famed Matta rice, spices, handicrafts and coconut oil. From local to global should be the country’s business slogan”, Mr. Modi said.
Mr. Modi announced the modernisation of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Varkala-Sivagiri, Nemom and Kochu-Veli stations. He said the railways would render the facilities future-proof multi-model transport hubs with world-class amenities.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, Minister for Fisheries Abdu Rahiman, Transport Minister Antony Raju and Shashi Tharoor, MP, were present.
