PM dedicates battle tank 'Arjun' to nation, launches big ticket projects in poll bound TN; Kerala

Prime Minister Narendra Modion Sunday dedicated the indigenously designed and made 'MainBattle Tank Arjun Mark 1A' to the nation and launched a slewof key infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu and Kerala,placing emphasis on a self-reliant India and growth.

After accepting a salute by the new war machine at thesprawling Nehru Stadium in Chennai, he handed over a miniaturetank model to Army Chief General M M Naravane, marking thehandover of the tank to the army.

He said the tank, manufactured in Tamil Nadu, symbolisedIndia's spirit of unity, ''a glimpse of Bharats Ekta Darshan''with the vehicle set to guard the country's northern borders.

At the same time,the focus on making India 'Aatmanirbhar'in the defence sector moved with full speed, Modi noted.

In Tamil Nadu,he praised Tamil culture and the languageand in Kerala, reached out to Keralites working in the Gulfcountries and lauded them,saying the country is proud of them.

He thanked the Gulf nations for responding to his appealand taking special care of Indians there.

Assembly elections are likely in April or May in Keralaand Tamil Nadu.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a Rs2,640 crore modernisation scheme of the Grand Anicut CanalSystem in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta region,aimed at improvingirrigation facilities for 2.27 lakh acres and a discoverycampus of IIT-Madras.

He also inaugurated the Rs 3,770 crore Metro Rail Phase-1Extension project that provides a hassle free link betweennorth and south Chennai and the Chennai Beach-Attipattu trainline to provide faster freight movement from and to ports inTamil Nadu's state capital area.

A new railway line electrification initiative in theVillupuram-Thanjavur-Tiruvarur section,set to accelerate quickmovement of foodgrains, was also inaugurated by the PM.

Modi said such infrastructure projects are symbols ofinnovation and indigenous development and hailed the GrandAnicut as an inspiration to a self-reliant India.

The PM, who arrived in Chennai in the morning, wound uphis visit in about four hours and air dashed to Kochi.

During his visit, Modi interacted with Chief Minister KPalaniswami, which assumes significance in the wake of thecoming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.

He also received the blessings of Bangaru Adigalar, anoted spiritual leader of north Tamil Nadu.

The AIADMK and BJP have already announced an electoraltie-up and this is Modi's first visit amid hectic pollcampaign by all the parties.

Though Modi did not take part in any political event,hisact of joining and raising hands together with Palaniswami andPanneerselvam at the Chennai event is seen as signifying aunited fight in the Assembly polls.

Both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam praised the PM forhis initiatives.

In Kerala, Modi told BJP leaders to fight the crucialAssembly polls by reaching out to the people on the Centre'sdevelopment work.

In Kochi, he dedicated to the nation a Rs 6,000 crorepetrochemical complex of oil major Bharat Petroleum and Ro-Rovessels of Inland Waterways at Willingdon Islands, assertingthat these projects would energise India's growth trajectory.

The Cochin Port Trust's International Cruise Terminaland Cochin Shipyard's Vigyana Sagar, a campus for MarineEngineering Training Institute were inaugurated by Modi.

Referring to the Propylene Derivative PetrochemicalProject that would produce Acrylic Acid, Oxo-Alcohol andAcrylates, which are mostly imported now, he said it wouldstrengthen India's journey towards being self-reliant as theinitiative would help save foreign exchange.

The Centre was taking several measures to improvetourism related infrastructure in Kerala, Modi said, addingthat the inauguration of Sagarika, the International CruiseTerminal in Kochi was an example.

The Sagarika Cruise Terminal will cater to over one lakhcruise guests, he said.

On the Pradhan Mantri Matasya Samapada Yojna,Modi pointedout that it catered to diverse needs of fishermen communities.

''It has provisions for ensuring more credit. Fishermenhave been linked with Kisan Credit Cards.Similarly, work isunderway to make India a hub for sea-food exports'', he said.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan and Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan,Mansukh L Mandaviya and V Muraleedharan attended the event atAmbalamedu near Kochi.

'Go Back Modi' and Malayalam words that had a similarmeaning trended on Twitter on the day of PM's visit to the twosouthern states.