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India’s post-independence period of 70 years was marked by flattering politics, and as a result, developmentalism took a back seat. Eight years ago, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government came to power at the Centre and Narendra Modi announced to rule according to a new trinity when he assumed the post of Prime Minister. While development is at the center of governance, the Modi government has prioritized a policy of development such that the fruits of this development should reach the bottom line of the society, and development has come to the center of politics. While reviewing the progress of the country in the last eight years, one cannot lose sight of the rapid development as Prime Minister Modi has consistently and keenly emphasized on one thing almost every day since coming to power. ‘India First’! Be it politics or power, the focus of the circle should be development, and national interest should be its priority. Modi himself insisted on this, not only in words but also in actions. Consequently, the mantra ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ came into actual practice.
With the thought that every policy and every action of the government should be for the development of the country, the internal security of the country and the elevation of the country’s reputation in the world, the progress of India’s development was accelerated through the selfless absolute governance for the last eight years. As a result, the visual form of metamorphosis began to appear everywhere on the map of the country. The digital revolution, the new era of modern healthcare facilities starting with domestic vaccine manufacturing, infrastructure network, and security assurance has made India’s image on the world map eminently bright. The respect and honor that Narendra Modi is getting as the Prime Minister of India on the world stage have also boosted the confidence of every Indian citizen. This is not achieved by mere chatter. Every moment since he took charge of the post of Prime Minister, the thought of the country’s development and the goal of implementing the triad of service, good governance, and welfare of poor has created a glorious picture of New India.
An important page of the new history of the Maharashtra’s progress was turned on the 11th of December in the form of Devendra Fadnavis’s ambitious Samruddhi highway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi grandly inaugurated this auspicious sign of progress, and Maharashtra’s new course of prosperity will begin at a new pace. Last Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis showed a glimpse of the speed of the first phase of this 701-km long highway, which is the benchmark for the progress of not only Maharashtra but the entire country. Fadnavis created a new graph of the speed of progress by covering the distance of 530 km from Nagpur to Shirdi in just four hours and forty-five minutes, and his achievement made the entire Maharashtra proud.
Perhaps no development projects are completed without overcoming hurdles by opposition. Opposition seems to be the bane of development. There is no point in objecting to such opposition. Though it is true that the issues of disagreement can be resolved through discussion, some take the stand that they will not allow development at all. However, development is mainly supported by public interest and thus, it always have a majority; consequently, the curse of opposition becomes ineffective. There was also an attempt to oppose the Mumbai-Pune expressway. There were protests, and even curses of destruction were uttered, but today, Maharashtra is experiencing the development opportunities opened up by the Mumbai Pune Expressway, which was built as the work continued despite all opposition.
Attempts were also made to spread the thorns of opposition on the way to the Samruddhi Highway. Warnings of agitation were given in Nashik, Ahmednagar, and Thane districts. About six years ago, Uddhav Thackeray stood by the protestors, warning that he would not allow farmers’ fertile land to be taken for highway projects. He also warned the opponents of the project not to back down under any circumstances, but the Fadanavis government deposited the compensation money in the farmers’ accounts within 24 hours and replaced the opposition with cooperation. The opposition subsided. The same Thackeray, who earlier stood with the opposition, later started pursuing this project as the Chief Minister. This was a miracle. The importance of this ambitious project is not limited to the fact that this highway is passing through 10 districts, 26 tehsils, and 392 villages and connecting the capital and second capital of Maharashtra. This highway is the new economic link between Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, and the financial capital of the entire country with Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Khandesh. If seen from this point of view, the future role of this highway is going to be the fate line for the prosperity of Maharashtra. The proposed new network of agricultural Samruddhi centers and allied industries along this highway will bring lakhs of employment opportunities to rural Maharashtra.
Road development is a major parameter of development. American roads are not good because America is rich but because its roads are good, America is rich. After the BJP government came to power, road development has been the top priority of the government, and an ambitious program was set to build a quality network of roads in record time. Linking villages, towns and cities is not only a work with the limited objective of reducing geographical distance, but it also links the culture of the village with the cities and towns and enriches the culture. Social bonding is achieved. A network of modern road facilities, and a unique blend of tradition and innovation, have given the country a new identity over the past eight years. The land of Maharashtra has been fortunate to pave the way for the prestige and history of this series. The 700-KM road from Mumbai to Nagpur will establish itself in the process of development, and will also be a strong thread connecting the social life, culture, and traditions of different regions of Maharashtra. Samruddhi Highway, an aptly named and ambitious project for Devendra Fadnavis, will not only inspire industry and investment, but Maharashtra’s farmers will also take new steps on the road to prosperity through this highway. The position of farmers in the country is important in the Modi government’s goal of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’. In the eight years from 2014 to 2022, the BJP government invested four times more in the agriculture sector through the Union budget than in the previous seven years, and the dawn of a revolution in agriculture has dawned.
When the practical implementation of the policy of ‘Beej Se Bazaar Tak’ will come to Maharashtra through the agricultural centers being set up at various places along the Samruddhi Highway, Maharashtra will light up with the joy of the fruits of this revolution. Another unique feature of this two-way highway from Mumbai to Nagpur will be recorded in the history of development. That is, the final stage of the journey through this path in any direction will be prosperity. Signs of an infrastructure revolution in the transport sector in the last eight years are now covering every nook and cranny of the country. Eight years ago, the metro rail service was running in only five cities in India, which has now started service in 27 cities. Electric buses have started running in Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Surat, and Hyderabad. Before 2014, the country had 70 airports, which has now doubled to 140. Sustainable lifestyles are the keystone of development policy. The welfare of the poor has become an obsession, and the Nation is the topmost priority and ultimate goal. The launch of the Samruddhi Highway is going to be the thread that unites all these elements and sentiments. It is a matter of immense satisfaction that Maharashtra has been fortunate enough to be a major part of the Modi government’s dream in the form of the Samruddhi Highway.
Keshav Upadhye is the Chief Spokesperson, BJP, Maharashtra. Views expressed are personal.
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