Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 11 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi and said, "Today, our Honorable Prime Minister is in Kashi. I welcome him on behalf of the people of Kashi and the state."

The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 44 projects worth Rs 3884.18 crores.

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At the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over Ayushman cards to three elderly people above the age of 70, certificates for three Geographical Indications (GI), and a bonus of Rs 106 crore to dairy farmers of the state associated with Banas Dairy (Amul).

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "I congratulate PM Modi on the historic victories in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi."

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He further mentioned the Mahakumbh's grand success and said, "The Mahakumbh has been a grand success, with over 3 crore devotees visiting Kashi. The Prime Minister's leadership and guidance have made this possible. The Namami Gange project has also been a huge success, and we're grateful for it."

"Kashi has undergone significant changes in the last 11 years. We've seen projects worth over 50,000 crores implemented here. Today, we're inaugurating projects worth 4,000 million rupees," Yogi said.

He spoke about the numerous initiatives launched for the betterment of farmers, handicraftsmen, and the poor, "We're also providing recognition to local handicraftsmen and artisans through GI Tech certificates. Ayushman Bharat has been a game-changer for the poor, and we're grateful for the Vandana Yojna card, which provides health facilities to the elderly. The Banas Dairy project has been beneficial for farmers and livestock owners in Kashi. We're providing bonuses to cattle owners and supporting farmers through value addition.

This is the Prime Minister's first visit to Varanasi after the completion of eight years of the CM Yogi-Adityanath-led UP Government.

Governor Anandi Ben Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak, Speaker of Gujarat Legislative Assembly Shanker Chaudhary, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President of the state Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh were present at the event. (ANI)

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