Narendra Modi in Varanasi: PM inaugurates multi-crore projects in his LS constituency

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and will inaugurate an international cooperation and convention centre, ‘Rudraksh’, which has been constructed with Japanese assistance. Modi visits Varanasi: During his visit to Varanasi, Modi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of multiple development projects worth over Rs 1,500 crore, a statement issued by the government said. PM to inaugurate multi-crore projects: The Rudraksh Convention Centre, which was built with the help of Japan, will be inaugurated by the prime minister along with the Ambassador of Japan to India, after which a video message of Japan prime minister Yoshihide Suga will be broadcast there, reports Mint.

• The two-storey convention centre has come up at posh Sigra area on 2.87 hectares of land and has a seating capacity of 1,200 people.
• Officials said the objective of the project is to provide opportunities for social and cultural interactions between people at the international convention centre in Varanasi that would strengthen the city’s competitiveness by developing its tourism sector.
• It is ideal for holding international conferences, exhibitions and music concerts and other events, and the gallery is done up with murals depicting Varanasi’s art, culture and music, they added.
• The Japan International Cooperation Agency-assisted Varanasi International Cooperation and Convention Centre’s (VCC) main hall may be partitioned into smaller spaces when needed.
• According to the officials, it will be an environment-friendly building, fit for level 3 of Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA).
• VCC will be equipped with adequate security and safety systems. It will have a regular entrance, a service entrance and a separate VIP entrance, making it an ideal destination for holding all types of international events.

What’s the backdrop of this visit? This visit comes at a time when the BJP is all set to kickstart its Assembly election campaign as Modi is expected to address a public meeting after the inaugurations of the projects. Assembly elections are due in the state early next year.

• This trip is Narendra Modi’s first visit to his parliamentary constituency this year and he is likely to kickstart a campaign trail for the poll-bound state as he is expected to travel across Uttar Pradesh in the coming months to inaugurate various developmental projects.
• As per a press statement by the PMO, the prime minister will arrive in Varanasi at 12.15 pm and spend five hours in his parliamentary constituency. He will also meet with local officials to review COVID-19 preparedness before holding a public meeting of as many as 6,000 people on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) grounds.
• The Print, citing unnamed sources reports that Modi will emphasise the state government’s development agenda at the public meeting, which will be attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh.
• This visit also holds importance as it comes against the backdrop of friction within the state government. There has been mounting criticism over chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state and the lack of coordination between his government and BJP MLAs and MPs.
• BJP general secretary organisation BL Santosh had visited Lucknow twice in the last month. Santhosh met with party leaders and ministers to hear their concerns as the state prepares for the 2022 Assembly elections.

With inputs from agencies