Modi launches projects in Lakshadweep, says it has ‘huge heart’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated and laid the foundation for various projects worth Rs 1,150 crore in Lakshadweep, saying the Union Territory is small in size but has a huge heart.

"The area of Lakshadweep may be small but its heart is huge. I am overwhelmed by the love and blessings I am receiving here. I express my gratitude to you all," the prime minister said in Kavaratti.

Lakshadweep

The projects were launched at a function attended by hundreds of islanders including women and children.

Lakshadweep is a tropical archipelago of 36 atolls and coral reefs in the sea off the coast of Kerala. Not all of the islands are inhabited. Kavaratti is one of the more developed islands.

Modi’s criticism

Addressing the gathering later, the prime minister took a dig at previous non-BJP Central governments, saying their only priority for decades was the development of their own political parties.

"Far-off states, border areas or those in the middle of the ocean were not given any attention," he said.

Promoting development

Detailing the steps taken by his government to develop such areas, he said: "In the last 10 years, our government has made border areas and locations at the edge of the sea its priority.

"In 2020, I guaranteed you that you would get fast internet facility within the next 1,000 days.

“Today, the Kochi-Lakshadweep Submarine Optical Fibre Project has been inaugurated. Now, the Internet in Lakshadweep will be available at 100 times higher speed," the prime minister said.

Transforming Lakshadweep

Modi had announced the project in his Independence Day speech in 2020.

The transformational initiative aims to overcome the challenge of slow Internet speed on Muslim-majority Lakshadweep Island. It will result in an increase in Internet speed by more than 100 times -- from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps, officials said.

Lakshadweep will now be connected through a submarine optical fibre cable, marking a significant shift in communication infrastructure.

Boosting Internet

This will boost Internet services, telemedicine, e-governance, education, digital banking, currency usage and literacy in the islands.

Modi also inaugurated the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination plant at Kadmat to produce 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water daily.

Additionally, he opened the Functional Household Tap Connections in all households on the Agatti and Minicoy islands.

Anganwadi centres

Other projects launched by the prime minister include the solar power plant at Kavaratti, the first battery-backed solar power project in Lakshadweep.

He laid the foundation stone to renovate the primary healthcare facility in Kalpeni and to build Anganwadi centres in the five islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadmat, Agatti and Minicoy.

(With agency inputs)