PM to visit Chhattisgarh tomorrow

     Raipur, September 13, 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh tomorrow to dedicate several important rail sector projects worth around Rs 6,350 crore.
     The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of ‘Critical Care Blocks’ in nine districts of Chhattisgarh and distribute one lakh sickle cell counselling cards during the programme, official sources told ChhattisgarhTopNews.Com.
     Giving details of his programme, sources said the Prime Minister will reach around 3:15 PM at Raigarh, where he will dedicate to nation important rail sector projects.

     Modi’s emphasis on improving connectivity across the country will get a boost with the dedication to the nation of important rail sector projects worth around Rs. 6,350 crore in the public programme in Raigarh.

     The projects include Chhattisgarh East Rail Project Phase-I, 3rd rail line between Champa to Jamga, 3rd rail line between Pendra Road to Anuppur and MGR (Merry-Go-Round) system connecting Talaipalli Coal Mine to NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Station (STPS). The rail projects will provide impetus to socioeconomic development by facilitating movement of passengers as well as freight traffic in the region.

     Chhattisgarh East Rail Project Phase-I is being developed under the ambitious PM GatiShakti – National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity and consists of a 124.8 km rail line from Kharsia to Dharamjaygarh including a spur line to Gare-Pelma and 3 feeder lines connecting Chhal, Baroud, Durgapur and other coal mines. The rail line, built at a cost of around Rs. 3,055 crore, is equipped with electrified broad gauge level crossings and free part double line with passenger amenities. It will provide rail connectivity for coal transportation from Mand-Raigarh coalfields located in Raigarh.

     The third rail line between Pendra Road to Anuppur is 50 km long and is built at a cost of about Rs 516 crore. The 98 kilometre long third line between Champa and Jamga rail section is built at a cost of about Rs 796 crore. The new rail lines will improve the connectivity in the region and lead to increase in both tourism and employment opportunities.

     The 65-km-long electrified MGR (Merry-Go-Round) System will deliver low cost, high grade coal from NTPC’s Talaipalli coal mine to 1600 MW NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Station in Chhattisgarh. This will boost the generation of low cost and reliable power from NTPC Lara, thus strengthening energy security of the country.  The MGR system, built at a cost of more than Rs 2070 crore, is a technological marvel for improving the coal transportation from coal mines to power stations.

     During the programme, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of 50 bedded ‘critical care blocks’ in nine districts of Chhattisgarh. The nine Critical Care Blocks will be built under Pradhan Mantri – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) at Durg, Kondagaon, Rajnandgaon, Gariaband, Jashpur, Surajpur, Sarguja, Bastar and Raigarh Districts, at a total cost of more than Rs 210 Crore.

     With an aim to address the health issues caused by sickle cell disease, especially among the tribal population, Modi will also distribute one lakh sickle cell counselling cards to the screened population. The distribution of sickle cell counselling cards is being done under National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSAEM), which was launched by the Prime Minister in July 2023 at Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.