Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Kerala wants to go ahead with a “fixed match” between the LDF and UDF, ahead of his visit to the poll-bound state.
PM Modi wrote in a post on Twitter, “I am looking forward to addressing the BJP-NDA public meeting being held in Thiruvananthapuram today. This city created history by blessing us in the recently held municipal elections. It is clear that Kerala wants to get out of this fixed contest between LDF and UDF.”
Today Prime Minister Modi will visit Kerala and lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and flag off various development projects.
He will flag off four new train services and lay the foundation stone for the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub in Thiruvananthapuram.
On this occasion he will also address a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram. These projects cover key areas including rail connectivity, urban livelihoods, science and innovation, citizen-centric services and advanced healthcare, reflecting the Prime Minister’s continued focus on inclusive growth, technological advancement and improved quality of life for citizens.
With an aim to boost rail connectivity, the Prime Minister will flag off four new rail services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains and one passenger train. These include Nagercoil-Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express and a new passenger train running between Thrissur and Guruvayur.
The launch of these services aims to significantly enhance long distance and regional connectivity between Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, making travel more affordable, safe and timely for passengers. Better connectivity will provide a strong boost to tourism, trade, education, employment and cultural exchange across the region.
As part of efforts to strengthen urban livelihoods, the Prime Minister will launch the PM Swanidhi Credit Card, marking the beginning of the next phase of financial inclusion for street vendors. This interest-free revolving credit facility linked to UPI will provide instant cash, promote digital transactions and help beneficiaries build a formal credit history.
The Prime Minister will also distribute PM Swanidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries, including street vendors in Kerala. Since its launch in 2020, the PM Swanidhi scheme has provided access to formal credit for the first time to a large section of beneficiaries and has played a significant role in poverty alleviation and livelihood security for urban informal workers.
In the field of science and innovation, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub in Thiruvananthapuram.
The center will focus on life sciences and bio-economy, integrate traditional knowledge systems like Ayurveda with modern biotechnology, sustainable packaging and green hydrogen, and promote startup creation, technology transfer and global collaboration. It will act as a platform for converting research into market-ready solutions and enterprises.
Strengthening healthcare infrastructure will be another major objective of the visit. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of a state-of-the-art Radiosurgery Center at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Ayurvedic Science and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram.
The facility will provide highly precise, minimally invasive treatment for complex brain disorders, thereby enhancing regional tertiary health care capabilities.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the new post office of Poozappura in Thiruvananthapuram. This modern, technology-enabled facility will provide a wide range of postal, banking, insurance and digital services, further strengthening citizen-centric service delivery.
