PM Modi's Mumbai visit: From municipal polls to double engine sarkar, top takeaways from PM's speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and State Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid foundation stones of projects worth more than Rs 38,000 crore aimed at developing infrastructure, easing urban travel, and strengthening healthcare during his visit to Mumbai.

PM Modi while speaking at the launch event said it is for the first time since Independence, a "New India" has emerged which has big dreams and also the capacity to realise them, and gone are the days when discussions in the country mostly centred around poverty and seeking foreign aid.

Across the world, there is positivity about India as everyone knows that the country is going forward on the basis of its strength and optimal use of its potential, PM Modi said.

Here are some key takeaways from PM Modi's speech in Mumbai:

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Civic body's role important in Mumbai development, says PM Modi

Ahead of upcoming municipal polls, PM Modi on Thursday said Mumbai's civic body plays a key role in development of the metropolis and while there was no dearth of funds for the city, it is important budgeted money is spent to achieve stated objectives and not wasted due to corrupt practices.

In a city like Mumbai, development projects cannot be expedited until the local civic body is also on board and ready to fast-track completion of projects, he said during his first visit to the metropolis after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took office in June-end last year with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

'Development funds should not be used for corrupt practices'

Greeting people gathered at the venue -- the MMRDA ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) -- in Marathi at the start of his address before switching to Hindi, PM Modi said what is needed is to see that Mumbai's rightful share of funds is used at the right place.

"Development funds should not be used for corrupt practices and if funds are locked in banks and there is a tendency to stall development works, how will the city's future be bright?" he asked.

PM Modi said if common citizens of Mumbai suffer and have to wait for progress, then such a situation is not good for a 21st century India and not acceptable in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Also Read: In Photos: India is developing into a prosperous country, says PM Modi in Mumbai

Municipal polls:

Civic elections in Mumbai and some other important cities, including Pune, Thane and Nagpur, are likely to be held later this year.

PM Modi said that for the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by it, development gets priority over politics.

"The development of Mumbai slowed down a bit for a while but after Shinde and Fadnavis (deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of BJP) assumed office (in June 2022), the momentum has come back," said the PM, apparently referring to the 31-month-long stint of the erstwhile MVA government headed by Uddhav Thackeray in alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

'Mumbai's development is on back on track now'

Speaking at a rally after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of projects worth more than Rs 38,000 crore aimed at developing infrastructure, easing urban travel, and strengthening healthcare in the financial capital, PM Modi said Mumbai's development is on back on track now.

Before 2014, when the BJP came to power in Maharashtra, Mumbai had just 9 km to 11km metro railway line, but the network has now expanded, he said.

'Double engine government'

PM Modi said that in the next 25 years, several cities in Maharashtra will boost India's growth and readying Mumbai for that is a top priority of the "double engine" government in the state.

(With inputs from PTI)