Tamil Nadu is already the leading automobile manufacturing hub of India. It is now evolving as the tank manufacturing hub of India, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function in Chennai on Sunday in which he handed over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Army built at Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi, Chennai.

‘Made in Tamil Nadu’ tanks will be used on the northern border to keep the nation safe. This showcases the Bharat Ekta Darshan and AatmaNirbhar India in the defence sector. “I am proud to dedicate to the country one more warrior to protect our frontiers,” said Modi.

The Battle Tank has been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by Combat Vehicles Research & Development; Defence Research and Development Organisation along with 15 academic institutions, eight labs and several MSMEs. Orders worth ₹8,500 crore for 118 tanks have been placed, which will support 200 industries and will generate 8,000 jobs.

“We will continue working to make our armed forces one of the most modern forces in the world. At the same time, the focus on making India self-reliant in the defence sector moves with full speed. Our armed forces significantly show India’s ethos of courage,” he said. “One of the two defence corridors is in Tamil Nadu. The corridor has received an investment of ₹8,100 crore,” he added.

Budget reforms

The world is looking at India with great enthusiasm and positivity. This is going to be India’s decade. This is because of the hard work and strength of 130 crore Indians. The Government of India is committed to doing everything possible to support this search of aspiration and inspiration, said Modi.

The Budget 2021 has showcased the importance of reforms. Special importance has been given to the development of coastal areas, said Modi after inaugurating projects worth ₹4,487 crore, and laying foundation stones for projects worth ₹3,640 crore in Tamil Nadu in the presence of Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami, and Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam.

“India is making the world’s fight against Covid stronger. We have to keep working to make India stronger and the world a better place. This is what the makers of our Constitution wanted us to do,” said Modi.

The city [Chennai] is full of energy and enthusiasm. This is the city of knowledge and creativity. These projects are symbols of innovations and indigenous development. These projects will lead to further development of Tamil Nadu, he said.

Railway projects

Modi inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project completed at a cost of ₹3,770 crore. This 9.05-km-long extension will link North Chennai with the airport and Central Railway Station. This project has been completed on schedule despite the effects of pandemic. The civil construction activities were done by Indian contractors. This is in line with the boost to AatmaNirbhar Bharat, the PM said.

In this year’s Budget, over ₹63,000 crore has been set aside for a 119-km of Phase-II of the project. This is one of the largest projects sanctioned for any city in one go, he said.

“I appreciate the farmers of Tamil Nadu for record food grain production. The Grand Anicut is a living testimony of our glorious past,” said Modi. He laid the foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Grand Anicut Canal System costing ₹2,640 crore.

Modi inaugurated the 22.1-km fourth Railway line between Chennai Beach and Athipattu costing ₹293.40 crore. He also inaugurated the Railway Electrification of single line section in Villupuram-Cuddalore-Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur costing ₹423 crore.

Laying the foundation stone for the ₹1,000-crore Discovery Campus of IIT-Madras, Modi said this will be a leading centre of discovery.

Related Topics