DEOGHAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated a brand-new airport in the temple town of Deogarh, putting it on the country's aviation map.
Modi also launched a new AIIMS in Deoghar and laid the foundation stones for a slew of projects for Jharkhand, totalling Rs 16,800 crore. Tuesday also marked other firsts for Deoghar - a key religious destination in the tribal stronghold Santhal Paragana division.
It is for the first time that any PM performed an elaborate puja with all rituals at the Baba Baidhyanathdham temple, home to one of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country.
Modi landed in Deoghar at 1.10 pm on a special flight from Delhi and was welcomed by chief minister Hemant Soren. The CM also gifted Modi a replica of the Deoghar temple at the airport launch ceremony.
In his 20-minute address during the ceremony, Modi said, "With the blessings of Baba Baidyanath, projects worth more than Rs 16,000 crore have been inaugurated and the foundation stone has been laid today. These are going to give a huge impetus to Jharkhand's connectivity, energy, health, faith and tourism."
Clad in white kurta-pyjama, Modi added that their model of development of the country is linked with the development of the states. "The kind of projects planned by our government for last 8 years in Jharkhand is aimed at overall development of this tribal heartland. Today's infra boost in Deoghar will not only aid the entire Santhal Pargana but will also link it with other parts of the world to boost cultural and economic ties," he said, adding that despite Covid-19, they have ensured that the airport and the AIIMS project, whose foundation stones were laid in 2018 ensured its completion on time.
Deoghar airport is the state's second after Ranchi's Birsa Munda terminal. It has the capacity to handle five lakh passengers annually.
