PM Modi in Gujarat, inaugurates ferry service and 'dream project'

Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Gujarat for a day-long visit today morning for inaugurating a slew of projects in Bhavnagar and Vadodra, the highlight being a ferry service from Ghogha in Bhavnagar district to Dahej in Bharuch.

The prime minister said he was happy to be in Gujarat and that the ferry service programme was of vital importance for the entire nation.

"The ferry service is a first of sorts. Its a dream come true for people of Gujarat," PM Modi said as he launched the first phase of the project.

He also added that the government was planning to link a number of other places also through ferries.

"This ferry service will not be restricted to this one route. We are planning to link other places also through ferries. This Ro-Ro ferry service will start the phase of social and economic development. Thousands of new jobs will be created," the prime minister said.

"Sadly, our transport sector was not integrated enough. We have changed that in the last three years. The goal is to make our transport sector integrated and state-of-the-art. We are planning to extend the route to the other parts of Gujarat," he said.

PM Modi said he faced "hostility from the then central government" when he was the chief minister of the state and that "efforts were made to stall the state's growth."

"When I was serving as the chief minister of Gujarat in 2012, I faced hostility from the then Central government. Efforts were made to stall industries and the state's growth. Over the last three years, we have changed that and given importance to the development of Gujarat," he said.

 The Ro-Ro (Roll on, Roll off) ferry service, which the PM earlier called his "dream project", will reduce travel time between the two cities from seven to eight hours to an hour.

The ferry service will reduce the distance from 310 kilometres by road to 30 kilometres.

When fully operationalised, it will also enable movement of vehicles. Phase 1, which the prime minister will inaugurate today, will allow passenger movement.

PM Modi undertook the maiden voyage from Ghogha to Dahej.

The prime minister interacted with schoolchildren upon his arrival in Dahej.

At a public meeting in the port town, PM Modi said India needed better and more ports.

"Our mantra is P for P - Ports for Prosperity," PM Modi said.

"Without proper connectivity, the economic development of a nation slows down. Keeping this in mind we are focussing on ports infrastructure.

Our focus is on the blue economy. We see the blue economy as integral to our vision of a new India," he said.

PM Modi emphasised that the fundamentals of the economy were strong and that the economy was moving in the right direction after reforms.

"Many economists agree that the fundamentals of the economy are strong.

After all hardcore reforms, the economy is on track and moving in right direction," PM Modi at the rally in Dahej.

We have taken tough decisions for the economy and will continue to do so while maintaining financial stability," he said.

The prime minister's next stop was Vadodara, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 1,140 crore.

"The scale of development works being inaugurated in Vadodara today is unprecedented," he said at a public meeting.

PM Modi also participated in a road show in his 2014 Lok Sabha constituency before leaving for Delhi.

This is PM Modi's third visit to the poll-bound state in a month.

Earlier this month, the prime minister inaugurated several projects in Gandhinagar, Rajkot, his hometown Vadnagar and Bharuch.

His visits assume significance as Assembly elections are due in Gujarat in December.

Last month, he hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Gujarat and launched the bullet train project.He had also dedicated to the nation the Sardar Sarovar Dam on Narmada river at an event coinciding with his 67th birthday.