PM Modi lays foundation stone of bulk drug park, inaugurates IIIT, flags off Vande Bharat Express in Una

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 13 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid foundation stone for a bulk drug park to be set up in Haroli constituency of Una district. He also inaugurated Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Saloh village, Haroli, which would come up in Una district at the cost of Rs 128 crore.
Earlier, the Prime Minister flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express which would run between Amb Andaura in Una and New Delhi, from Una Railway station.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur at Una Railway Station.
The introduction of Vande Bharat Express train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel. The travel time from Una to New Delhi will be cut by two hours.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur, while welcoming the Prime Minister in his Parliamentary constituency, thanked him for flagging off the fourth Vande Bharat Express Train of the nation and the first Vande Bharat Express Train for the state. He said that it was possible due to the special bonding the Prime Minister shares with the State and its people. He said that Vande Bharat Express Train was not a mere train but it was faith, love and confidence of the people of the state of the Prime Minister.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur thanked the Prime Minister for laying the foundation stone of bulk drug Park, dedicating IIIT Una to the people, and flagging off Vande Bharat Express Train for the state. He said that Rs1,923-crore bulk drug park mega project would be set up on 1,405 acres in the villages of Haroli constituency of Una district. He said of these, about Rs1,100-crore grant would be provided by the Centre and the remaining amount would be borne by the state government. He said that this park would generate potential investment of Rs50,000 crore and thousands of employment opportunities for the youth of the state.
Chief Minister said that despite being a small state, Himachal Pradesh has shown a way for several bigger States of the country in attracting investment to the State. He said that the former Prime Minister late Atal Bahari Vajpayee provided special industrial package for the State, which attracted huge investment in the State, particularly in the Pharma sector.
Addressing the jam-packed Indira Gandhi Stadium at Una, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that it was a huge day for industrialisation and mentioned the key focus of his visit to the state as connectivity and education.
"Today, work is beginning on the second bulk drug park of the country at Una. Various projects have been inaugurated or their foundation stones have been laid in Himachal Pradesh today. These will greatly benefit the people," he added.
Modi pointed out that Himachal has been chosen as one of the states to get a bulk drug park. "Being chosen as one of the only three states for a bulk drug park is a momentous decision for the state and is a result of our affection and dedication to the state," he said. "Similarly, the decision to bring Vande Bharat to Himachal Pradesh also shows the priority that the government accords to the state."
The Prime Minister remarked that earlier governments at Himachal Pradesh and Centre paid no attention to the needs and aspirations of the citizens of the state. "It was our mothers and sisters who have suffered the most because of such a situation," he added.
The Prime Minister informed that Himachal Pradesh had played a crucial role in making India the number one medicine manufacturer in the world and its possibilities are only going to increase. "The entire world has witnessed the strength of the medicines manufactured in Himachal Pradesh," Modi added.
The Prime Minister underlined the new working style of delivering on promises and delivering before time. He said: "Unlike earlier times when Himachal was valued less on its strength and more on the basis of the number of its Parliamentary seats, long-pending demand for educational institutes in the state is being tackled with urgency. Himachal had to wait for the double-engine government to get IIT, IIIT, IIM and AIIMS. Education sector-related initiatives in Himachal Pradesh will immensely benefit the students."
The Prime Minister who had laid the foundation stone of the IIIT building today has dedicated the building to further underline the changing work culture. He complimented the people involved in the project for completing it on time despite the challenge of the pandemic.