Swati Mahajan
Yamunanagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated a series of major infrastructure and energy projects in Haryana, using the occasion to highlight his government’s development record while taking aim at the Congress for what he described as a “dark decade” of power shortages before 2014.
Addressing a public gathering after laying the foundation stone of an 800-megawatt ultra-supercritical thermal power unit at the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar, Modi said, “We have seen those days when blackouts were common under the Congress regime. Factories were forced to stop, trains couldn’t run, and fields went dry because electricity wasn’t available.”
The upcoming thermal power unit, to be constructed adjacent to the existing 2x300 MW units, will span 233 acres and is estimated to cost around Rs 8,470 crore. The state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured the contract to set up the plant, which is expected to be operational by March 2029. It will be Haryana’s first ultra-supercritical technology-based power project.
Modi noted that India’s power generation capacity had significantly increased in the last ten years. “Electricity generation has nearly doubled, and today India is even exporting electricity to neighbouring countries,” he said. “In Haryana alone, we are producing 16,000 MW, and the goal is to increase this to 24,000 MW in the near future.”
He said that uninterrupted electricity was key to achieving a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India). “We are working on all fronts — whether it’s a unified power grid, new coal plants, solar energy, or nuclear expansion — so that power shortages do not become a roadblock in nation-building.”
Modi also laid the foundation stone for a compressed biogas plant in Mukarabpur under the ‘Gobardhan’ initiative (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan). Slated for completion by 2027, the plant will have an annual production capacity of 2,600 metric tonnes and is expected to save the local municipal corporation around Rs 3 crore annually through effective organic waste management and green energy production.
“We have announced 500 such biogas plants. Farmers are benefiting from these initiatives and are becoming producers of clean energy,” said Modi. He said these initiatives reflected the government’s intent to turn rural waste into wealth and support environmental conservation.
Later in the day, Modi virtually inaugurated the Rs 1,070 crore Rewari Bypass, a 14.4-kilometre road project under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. The bypass is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Narnaul by an hour and ease congestion in Rewari city. “Infrastructure like this is not just about convenience — it boosts local economies and creates new opportunities,” he said. Earlier in Hisar, the prime minister flagged off a commercial flight between Maharaja Agrasen Airport and Ayodhya and also laid the foundation stone for a new terminal building at the airport. These events formed part of a broader rollout of development projects worth Rs 10,000 crore across Haryana, timed with the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. “Today’s projects are a tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, who always advocated for industrial growth and social justice,” Modi said. “He understood the challenges of small farmers and small businesses, and our policies are aligned with that vision.”
Highlighting support for small and medium enterprises, the prime minister referred to the redefinition of MSMEs to ensure businesses continue to receive government support even as they grow. “We are introducing a special credit card for small industries and increasing the coverage under the credit guarantee scheme,” he said. He also spoke of the success of the PM Mudra Yojana. “In the last ten years, Rs 33 lakh crore in loans have been disbursed without collateral, helping millions to realise their entrepreneurial dreams,” said Modi.
Touching on the PM Surya Ghar scheme, Modi said 1.25 crore people had already registered. “Our goal is to empower households to generate their own electricity and reduce dependency on external sources,” he added. Modi, accompanied by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Union ministers ML Khattar, KP Gurjar, and Rao Inderjit Singh, praised the state government’s initiatives, including the purchase of 24 crops at minimum support price and the waiving of Rs 130 crore in pending ‘abiana’ charges, a colonial-era irrigation levy. Referring to the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Haryana, Modi said, “This is a double-engine government working at double speed. Now, with recent civic poll victories, even Saini ji is talking about a triple-engine government.”
While highlighting the government’s achievements, the prime minister launched a scathing critique of the Congress, accusing the party of governance failures and corruption in states where it currently holds power.
“In Karnataka, the price of electricity, milk, bus fares, and even seeds has gone up. New taxes have been imposed, and people are expressing their frustration online,” he said. “Someone close to the chief minister even said the Congress has made Karnataka number one in corruption.” He also took aim at the Congress government in Telangana, accusing it of environmental degradation. “They are destroying forests with bulldozers and putting wildlife at risk. This is their style of governance,” he said. “On one side, you have the Congress model built on false promises, and on the other, the BJP model guided by truth and the vision of Baba Saheb,” Modi stated.