deoghar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday unveiled multiple projects in Jharkhand, including an airport in Deoghar, besides laying foundation stones for fresh development initiatives.
He flagged off a Kolkata-bound Indigo flight from the new 653-acre airport, built at a cost of Rs 401 crore.
Modi said the new initiatives would go a long way in boosting development in eastern India.
The prime minister also stated that the projects, totaling Rs 16,800 crore, would give a huge impetus to Jharkhand's connectivity, and strengthen sectors such as energy, health, faith and tourism.
"When steps are taken to improve the lives for common citizens, national assets are created and new opportunities of national development emerge...The new projects not only benefit Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal but also accelerate development in east India, he said, addressing people here.
Urging people to refrain from politics based on populist measures, Modi said it is a challenge before the country.
"The country faces a major challenge of short-cut politics, but it is a big truth that the country whose politics is based on it can have short-circuit... It can destroy a country," Modi said. "It is very easy to get votes from people by taking populist measures, adopting short-cut politics without thinking about far-reaching consequences, the PM said.
Of the projects inaugurated by the PM during the day are an in-patient department (IPD) and an operation theatre at AIIMS, Deoghar. He also dedicated two railway initiatives to people -- Godda-Hansdiha electrified route and Garhwa-Mahuria doubling project -- stating that these would facilitate seamless traffic movement of goods for industries and power houses.
Several amenities on Baba Baidyanath Dham premises, including congregation halls for pilgrims, were inaugurated by the PM. Modi said the airport and the facilities at the temple complex would promote tourism. "Around 70 new locations have been connected through airports, heliports and water aerodromes in the last 5-6 years under the Centre's UDAN scheme. Today, people can travel on along 400 new air routes. More than one crore people have access to affordable air travel, many for the first time," he said.