Developed TN Is Foundation For Developed India, Says PM

He was speaking at the dedication ceremony of the newly developed terminal at Thoothukudi Airport, where he inaugurated completed projects and laid foundation stones for various infrastructure works worth a total of ₹4,874 crore.

Modi emphasised the Centre’s commitment to regional development through integrated investments in transport, energy, and connectivity. He highlighted that the new airport terminal, built at a cost of ₹450 crore, has been upgraded to handle over 20 lakh passengers annually, a significant increase from its previous capacity of 3 lakh. “From ports to airports, highways to railways, we are building strong, high-tech, interconnected systems to fully tap the state’s potential,” he said.

Reiterating Tamil Nadu’s pivotal role in India’s growth, the Prime Minister stated, “A developed Tamil Nadu is the foundation for a developed Bharat. That is why the Union government has always placed the state’s development at the heart of its national policy agenda.”

Highlighting the government’s focus on ‘Make in India’ and mission manufacturing, Modi noted that indigenous defence production had significantly aided India’s counter-terrorism efforts. “Weapons made in India were instrumental in neutralising terror hideouts. Today, those who support terrorism are unable to sleep peacefully,” he remarked.

Among the inaugurated road projects were the Sethiyathope–Cholapuram stretch and the access road to Thoothukudi port, built at a combined cost of ₹2,557 crore. According to Modi, these projects will enhance connectivity between the Delta districts and Chennai, boosting trade and logistics.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for a power transmission corridor to carry 2,000 MW of electricity from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, at an estimated cost of ₹548 crore.

Discussing Tamil Nadu’s key role in the modernisation of the Indian Railways, Modi said that 77 railway stations in the state are being upgraded under the Amrit Bharat Scheme. He also highlighted the operation of Vande Bharat Express trains and the construction of the iconic vertical lift Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu.

On the renewable energy front, Modi said over 1 lakh applications had been received under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with 40,000 homes already fitted with rooftop solar units, providing free electricity to thousands of families.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Centre’s long-standing support to Tamil Nadu, stating that ₹3 lakh crore had been allocated to the state over the past 11 years, three times more than the allocation during the previous UPA government. He also highlighted the establishment of 11 new medical colleges and a renewed focus on coastal and fishing communities under the Blue Economy initiatives.

Calling Thoothukudi a symbol of a “new development revolution,” Modi said the transformative projects would ease lives, create jobs, and open up new opportunities. As a concluding gesture, he invited the audience to switch on their mobile phone flashlights to express their enthusiasm and solidarity, which was met with cheers.

Earlier, the Prime Minister was welcomed by Governor R.N. Ravi, along with Union Ministers K. Ram Mohan Naidu and L. Murugan, and Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, who presented him with a memento, a model of the Valluvar Kottam monument in Chennai.

State Ministers Geetha Jeevan, Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, and Thoothukudi MP K. Kanimozhi were also present at the ceremony.