Today, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, dedicated and laid the groundwork for key development projects in Mandya, Karnataka. The projects include laying the groundwork for the Mysuru-Kushalnagar 4-lane highway and dedicating the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation. The Prime Minister began his speech by paying respects to Goddess Bhuvneshvari and the Gurus of Adichunchanagiri and Melukote. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be present among the people of Karnataka in various parts of the state and thanked everyone for their well wishes. The Prime Minister praised the people of Mandya in particular, saying that their blessings are soaked in sweetness. The Prime Minister emphasised the love and affection of the people of the state, emphasising that the double-engine government strives to meet the demands of every citizen through rapid development. He emphasised that today's infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores are part of the double-engine government's efforts to benefit the people of Karnataka. Noting the national excitement surrounding the Bengaluru-Mysuru motorway, the Prime Minister stated that the country's youth are proud of such modern and high-quality motorways. He stated that the motorway cut the travel time between Mysuru and Bengaluru in half. He also emphasised the laying of the foundation stone for the 4-lane highway connecting Mysuru and Kushalnagar, saying that these projects will further the spirit of 'Sabka Vikas' and open the doors to prosperity. The Prime Minister congratulated the people of Karnataka on the completion of these projects. In the context of India's infrastructure development, the Prime Minister remembered two great personalities. Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Sir M Visvesvaraya, Karnataka's great sons, gave the country a new vision and strength. These dignitaries turned disaster into opportunity and recognised the value of infrastructure, and the current generation is fortunate to reap the benefits of their efforts, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister emphasised that the country is developing advanced infrastructure projects while following in their footsteps. Today, the Bharatmala and Sagarmala Yojna is transforming the landscape of India and Karnataka, the Prime Minister stated. He emphasised that the country's infrastructure budget was increased significantly even while the entire world was dealing with the Corona pandemic. He stated that more than ten lakh crores have been allocated in this year's budget for infrastructure development in the country. Apart from convenience, the Prime Minister added, infrastructure creates jobs, investment, and earning opportunities. He stated that the government has invested more than 1 lakh crore in highway-related projects in Karnataka alone in recent years. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of connectivity between Bengaluru and Mysuru as key cities in Karnataka, saying it is important from many perspectives. He stated that people frequently complained about heavy traffic while travelling between the two cities, and that the Expressway will reduce travel time between the two cities to one and a half hours, boosting economic activity in the region. Noting that the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway crosses through the heritage towns of Ramnagar and Mandya, the Prime Minister remarked that the potential for tourism will not only get a boost but accessibility to the birthplace of Maa Kaveri will also be made possible. The Prime Minister pointed out that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway which had always been affected by landslides during the monsoons impacting the port connectivity in the region will be addressed by the widening of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway. He said that the industries in the region will also start to flourish with the increased connectivity. The Prime Minister slammed previous governments' callous approach, claiming that much of the money set aside for poor development was stolen. He claimed that in 2014, a sensitive poor government that understood the pain of the poor came to power. The government worked tirelessly to serve the poor, prioritising housing, piped water, Ujjwala gas connection, electricity, roads, hospitals, and lowering medical treatment concerns for the poor. He stated that over the last nine years, the government has ensured the poor's ease of living by going to their doorsteps, and saturation is being achieved in a mission mode. Speaking about the government's approach to providing long-term solutions to long-standing problems, the Prime Minister stated that over 3 crore houses have been built in the last 9 years, with lakhs of houses built in Karnataka and 40 lakh new households receiving piped water through the Jal Jeevan Mission. The Prime Minister emphasised that in this year's Budget, 5,300 crores rupees have been allocated for the Upper Bhadra Project, while irrigation projects that have been stalled for decades are also being completed at a rapid pace. He emphasised that this will solve the irrigation problems that the people of this region are experiencing. Apart from providing solutions to the small issues faced by the farmers of Karnataka, the Prime Minister informed that the government has directly transferred 12,000 crore rupees into the bank accounts of the farmers of Karnataka via PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna where more than 2.75 lakh farmers belonging to the Mandya region have been provided 600 crores by the central government alone. The Prime Minister praised the Karnataka Government for adding 4000 rupees to the 6000 rupees installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. “In the double-engine government, Kisan is getting double benefits”, he said. According to the Prime Minister, crop uncertainties led to long-standing arrears between sugarcane farmers and sugar mills. According to the Prime Minister, the introduction of ethanol will significantly alleviate the problem. In the event of a bumper crop, excess sugarcane will be converted into ethanol, ensuring farmers a steady income. He stated that the country's sugar mills sold ethanol worth 20 thousand crores to oil companies last year, which aided in timely payment to sugarcane farmers. He went on to say that since 2013-14, ethanol worth 70 thousand crores has been purchased from sugar mills, with the proceeds going to farmers. The Prime Minister stated that India is a land of opportunities, and that people from all over the world are showing an interest in the country. He stated that India received record foreign investments in 2022, with Karnataka receiving investments totaling more than 4 lakh crores. This record investment exemplifies the efforts of the double-engine government, said the Prime Minister. Aside from IT, the Prime Minister stated that industries such as biotechnology, defence manufacturing, and EV manufacturing are rapidly expanding, while industries such as aerospace and space are seeing unprecedented investment. The double-engine government is bringing about unprecedented changes, but the prime minister drew attention to the acts of some political parties that are busy plotting Modi's demise while he is focused on building the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway and improving the lives of the poor. He issued a warning to his critics, saying that the blessings of the Indian people and the millions of mothers, sisters, and daughters serve as his defence. The Prime Minister thanked the people of Karnataka for the initiatives that were announced today and added in closing, “The double-engine government is imperative for the fast-paced development of Karnataka.” On the occasion were Shri Basvara Bommai, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Shri Pralhad Joshi, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Sumalatha Ambareesh, a Member of Parliament from Mandya, and a Minister from the Government of Karnataka. Background The rapid development of infrastructure projects demonstrates the Prime Minister's vision of ensuring world-class connectivity throughout the country. The Prime Minister dedicated the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation as part of this endeavour. The project entails widening NH-275 from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta and Mysuru to six lanes. The 118-kilometer-long project has a total cost of around Rs 8480 crores. It will cut the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from approximately 3 hours to approximately 75 minutes. It will serve as a catalyst for the region's socioeconomic development. The Prime Minister also laid the groundwork for a four-lane highway connecting Mysuru and Kushalnagar. The project will be developed at a cost of around Rs 4130 crores and will play an important role in improving Kushalnagar's connectivity with Bengaluru. Travel time will be reduced from approximately 5 hours to 2.5 hours. 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