A loss to every patriot, PM Modi on Gen Rawat’s death

New Delhi, Dec 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a soldier does not remain a soldier only as long as he stays in the military.He is dedicated to discipline and pride of the country every moment, the PM said during his address at Berhampur, Uttar Pradesh.

The demise of General Bipin Rawat is a loss to every patriot. He was brave and worked hard to make the country's force self-reliant. The nation is witness to that, the PM also said.

I express my condolences to all the brave warriors who died in the helicopter crash December 8, the PM also said. Wherever General Rawat may be, in the days to come, he will see India moving ahead with new resolutions, the PM said.

India is mourning, but despite being in pain, neither do we stop our pace nor our development. India will not stop. India will not come to a standstill. Together we Indians will work hard and face every challenge inside and outside the country, the PM also said.

The PM was speaking after inaugurating the Saryu Nahar National Project today at Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh.

The work on the project started in 1978 but due to lack of continuity of budgetary support, interdepartmental coordination and adequate monitoring, it got delayed and was not completed even after nearly four decades. Prime Minister's vision for farmer welfare and empowerment, and his commitment to prioritise long pending projects of national importance, brought much needed focus on the project.

Consequently in 2016, the project was brought under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana with the target to complete it in a time bound manner. In this endeavour, innovative solutions were found for new land acquisition to construct new canals and fill the critical gaps in the project, and also for resolving the pending litigation related to the previous land acquisitions.

The renewed focus on the project has resulted in the project being completed in only about four years.