Modi Govt Approves 8 New Railway Projects, Houses Under PM Awas Yojana

New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday informed that the government has given nod to eight new railway projects to provide connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling, reduce oil imports and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

At a press briefing, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced decisions made by the Cabinet saying the proposed projects will improve logistical efficiency by connecting the unconnected areas and enhancing transportation networks, resulting in streamlined supply chains and accelerated economic growth.

"PM Modi approved 8 big railway projects during the cabinet. From these 8 big railway projects, aspirational districts, tribal-dominated constituencies, all will get a big medium for development. Three of these projects are of Odisha's southern and western portions...," the Union Minister said.

The total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 24,657 crore, Vaishnaw said.

These projects will save 767 crore kg of CO2, which is equivalent to planting 30 crore trees, Vaishnaw underlined. 

Govt announces new projects to boost connectivity, improving rural lives

• In budget, the Prime Minister focused on Purvoday, focus on development in the eastern states of Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Andhra Pradesh. Now the government has approved eight major railway projects.
• Among connectivity projects, one will cover Marathwada and northern Maharashtra, spanning 174 kilometers. 
• These eight projects will reduce carbon emissions, equivalent to planting 300 million trees.
• They will provide a corridor for the east coast to boost connectivity.
• In addition to this, three crore new homes will be built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with an investment of Rs 3.6 lakh crore. Out of these, two crore homes will be in rural areas and one crore in urban. 

• Working women's hostels will be included in the affordable housing segment, and the provision for low-interest rates has been increased.
• In a step toward improving farmers income, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that 9 institutions will be transformed into clean plant centres and 75 nurseries will be prepared for clean mother planting material replication..."

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