**Executive Summary**
This document is a rendering of the Prime Minister's address at the launch of various development works in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, delivered on February 22, 2026. The address highlights the inauguration of the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and the Metro service, showcasing the double-engine government's commitment to infrastructure development, women's empowerment, and economic growth in Uttar Pradesh and India. The address also draws contrasts between the present BJP government and previous Congress and SP-BSP administrations, focusing on development progress and priorities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Infrastructure Development:**
* Inauguration of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Metro service in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
* Namo Bharat and Metro Rail will run on the same station and same track, facilitating direct travel to Delhi from Meerut.
* Increased metro train services in India from 5 cities to over 25 under the BJP government, making India the third-largest metro network globally.
* Interconnection of railway stations, metro stations, and bus terminals in Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, and Meerut.
* Development of new expressways, freight corridors, and an international airport in Jewar, Western UP.
* **Economic Growth and Employment:**
* The BJP government is spending significantly on modern infrastructure to save money and create jobs for the youth.
* Modern infrastructure projects and policies will bring new industries and businesses to Uttar Pradesh.
* UP's economy is witnessing tremendous growth with a focus on becoming a major manufacturing hub.
* Investment in Uttar Pradesh's first semiconductor factory, which will increase job opportunities.
* **Support for Small Industries and Farmers:**
* A special fund of 10,000 crore rupees announced for small industries in this year's Union Budget.
* Implementation of Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Yojana for the textile industry and weaver community.
* Removal of the limit on the value of goods that small artisans can send through courier services.
* Farmers of UP have received nearly 95,000 crore rupees under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, with farmers of Meerut alone receiving about 800 crore rupees.
* **Political Commentary:**
* Critique of previous Congress and SP-BSP governments for slow development and alleged scams.
* Accusations against Congress for defaming the country and engaging in shameless politics.
* Praise for the BJP government's double-engine government for prioritizing development and good governance.
* Assertion that Congress has become a burden on the nation.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Citizens of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi**
* **Impact:** Improved connectivity, safer and more convenient travel options, and enhanced employment opportunities.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the new infrastructure and services for travel and economic advancement.
**Stakeholder: Small Industries and MSMEs in Uttar Pradesh**
* **Impact:** Easier access to loans, expanded markets, and increased potential for growth.
* **Action Required:** Explore opportunities for loans and market expansion, and utilize the new courier services.
**Stakeholder: Farmers in Uttar Pradesh**
* **Impact:** Increased income through PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi and emphasis on food processing.
* **Action Required:** Continue farming activities and explore opportunities in the food processing sector.
**Stakeholder: Opposition Parties (Specifically Congress)**
* **Impact:** Criticism and pressure to adopt more responsible and development-focused politics.
* **Action Required:** Re-evaluate strategies and policies to align with the developmental goals and national pride.
Key Entities Referenced
Namo Bharat Rapid Rail: Rapid rail service inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh, aiming to improve connectivity between cities.
Meerut Metro: Metro service in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, launched to improve intra-city transportation.
Uttar Pradesh: Indian state where the development projects are being launched.
BJP's double-engine government: Refers to the government where the same political party (BJP) is in power at both the central (national) level and the state level (Uttar Pradesh).
PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi: Government scheme providing financial assistance to farmers.
Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address at the launch
of various development works in Meerut, Uttar
Pradesh
Posted On: 22 FEB 2026 6:53PM by PIB Delhi
Bharat Mata ki Jai
Bharat Mata ki Jai
Bharat Mata ki Jai
Respected and popular Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath ji, my colleagues in the Union
Cabinet Pankaj Chaudhary ji and Jayant Chaudhary ji, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Brajesh
Pathak ji, ministers of the UP government, my fellow Members of Parliament, legislators, and my beloved
brothers and sisters who have gathered here in such large numbers!
On this sacred land of Baba Augharnath, on the revolutionary soil of Meerut, today a new energy is being
infused into the vision of a developed Uttar Pradesh and a developed India. For the first time, from the
same stage, both the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and the Metro service are being inaugurated on the same
day. This is a magnificent glimpse of what connectivity in a developed India will look like. Metro for
travel within the city, and Namo Bharat, a modern train, to accelerate the vision of twin cities. I am
satisfied that this milestone has been achieved in Uttar Pradesh.
Brothers and sisters,
Today’s program also reflects the working culture of the BJP’s double-engine government. And what is
our working culture? Our working culture is that once a foundation stone is laid, we dedicate ourselves
day and night to completing the project. That is why projects no longer remain stuck or delayed as they
used to. Both the Namo Bharat and the Metro service were inaugurated by me earlier, and today I have
had the privilege of dedicating them to the nation.
Friends,
A short while ago, I traveled in the Meerut Metro. During the journey, I interacted with many young
students and other passengers. Everyone said they had never imagined such a wonderful facility. They
recalled the old days, and especially the women and daughters told me that just a few years ago, as
evening fell, silence and fear would grip the entire route. Now, on one hand, law and order has improved,
and on the other, people have a safe and convenient means of travel.
And friends,
I am happy that the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail has also become a symbol of women’s empowerment. In this
service, train operators, station control staff, and many other roles are being led by our daughters. I extend
my heartfelt congratulations to all of you, to Uttar Pradesh, and to the people of Delhi for the country’s
first Namo Bharat Rapid Rail service and the Meerut Metro.Friends,
I have a special bond with the land of Meerut. In the 2014 elections, the 2019 elections, and the 2024 Lok
Sabha elections, my campaign began from Meerut itself. The people of Meerut, the farmers here, the
entrepreneurs, the workers of small industries, the artisans, and the shopkeepers have always showered me
with blessings.
And friends,
Even then, I had told Congress and SP-BSP to abandon their poisonous politics and compete with us on
the issue of development.
Friends,
These parties did not change their poisonous politics, but the BJP made development its highest priority in
its policies, its approach, and its intent. The Meerut Metro itself is an example of this.
Friends,
Before 2014, the expansion of metro services in India was extremely slow. Under the Congress
government, metro trains were running in only 5 cities. But today, under the BJP government, metro trains
are running in more than 25 cities across the country. India has now become the third largest metro
network in the world. In Uttar Pradesh too, apart from Meerut, work on metro projects is underway in
several cities.
Friends,
In the past 11 years, dozens of cities have been connected with metro services because the BJP
government wants to provide convenience to the people, to give citizens high-speed travel free from traffic
jams and pollution. That is why today modern semi-high-speed trains like Namo Bharat are running, and
Vande Bharat trains are also operating.
Friends,
When Congress and SP had their government in Delhi, none of this was possible. At that time,
infrastructure projects would get lost in scams. Even technologies related to metro systems had to be
imported from abroad. We stopped the scams and moved the country forward on the path of self-reliance.
Because the BJP’s priority is the development of the nation, the convenience and prosperity of its citizens.
Just look here—how the lives of the people of Meerut and western UP are about to change. At Sarai Kale
Khan, Anand Vihar, Ghaziabad, and Meerut, railway stations, metro stations, and bus terminals have been
interconnected. For the first time in the country, Namo Bharat and Metro Rail will run on the same station,
the same track. This means from one platform you can travel within the city, and from the same station
you can go directly to Delhi. Thousands of people from Meerut who travel daily to Delhi for studies, jobs,
or other work will benefit. Those who work in Delhi but live in Meerut will no longer be forced to rent
houses in Delhi.
Friends,
Today, the BJP’s double-engine government is spending so much money on modern infrastructure, and
this not only saves your money but also creates jobs for the youth. Just look here in western UP—new
expressways are being built, dedicated freight corridors are being developed, an international airport is
coming up in Jewar. These projects provide employment during construction, and later they bring new
industries, new businesses, which also generate jobs.
Friends,This land of Uttar Pradesh is the land of labor, the land of creation. Farmers, livestock keepers, small
entrepreneurs, weavers, artisans—all are realizing the mantra of heritage and development. When India’s
strength grows, all these companions of Uttar Pradesh also benefit.
Friends,
You can see nowadays how much faith the world has in India, how hopeful people are. Many developed
countries are signing trade agreements with India. There was a time when Congress governments could
not make agreements with developed nations, even if they wanted to. Because the Congress government
was infamous for scams, the world hesitated to deal with them. But today, developed countries are eager
to partner with India. They see their future in India’s development, they see hope in India’s youth power.
Today the world believes India is the force that can provide solutions to the challenges of the 21st century.
Friends,
In recent years, the agreements made by the BJP government will greatly benefit small and cottage
industries. This will help sports goods manufacturers of Meerut, scissors from Meerut, crockery from
Khurja, brassware from Moradabad, home furnishings from Baghpat, wood carving from Saharanpur, as
well as industries related to leather, textiles, and jewelry. All these small and cottage industries will gain
immensely. The BJP’s priority is to take the strength of small and big cities of India to every corner of the
world, to enhance the identity of different districts of UP.
Friends,
Our Meerut and this entire region are major centers of small industries and MSMEs. In this year’s Union
Budget, we announced a special fund of 10,000 crore rupees for small industries. This will make it much
easier for MSMEs in UP to get loans. In the budget, we also announced the Mahatma Gandhi Gram
Swaraj Yojana for the textile industry and the weaver community. This will help khadi, handloom, and
handicrafts reach global markets.
Friends,
Earlier, small artisans could only send goods worth up to 10 lakh rupees by courier. Now this limit has
been completely removed. This means weavers and small entrepreneurs from Meerut and across UP can
easily send their products to customers in America or Europe through online apps.
Friends,
The Meerut-Hapur region and surrounding areas have witnessed the vision of Chaudhary Charan Singh ji
from the very beginning. It has been the good fortune of our government to confer the Bharat Ratna on
Chaudhary Charan Singh ji. The BJP’s double-engine government is continuously working to increase
farmers’ incomes, following his vision. For this, a strong emphasis is being placed on food processing.
The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi funds are also proving very useful for small farmers. So far, farmers of UP
have received nearly 95,000 crore rupees under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. Farmers of Meerut alone have
received about 800 crore rupees.
Brothers and sisters,
On one hand, citizens are working day and night to make India developed. But there are some political
parties in the country that cannot digest India’s success. You just saw, the world’s largest AI conference
was held in India. Representatives from more than 80 countries came to Delhi. Heads of state from nearly
20 countries came to India. Lakhs of people from across the country gathered in Delhi. Such a conference
has never been held in any developing country before. I want to ask the people of Meerut—did you feel
proud of this AI conference or not? Say it with full strength—did you feel proud or not? Did your head
rise high or not? Did your chest swell with pride or not? Was this done for India or not? Was this done forIndia’s youth or not? Was this done to change India’s destiny or not? Was this done to take leadership in
the 21st century or not? The whole country was filled with pride. But what did Congress and its ecosystem
do?
Friends,
Congress turned India’s global event into an arena for its dirty and shameless politics. At the venue, in
front of foreign guests, Congress leaders arrived stripping off their clothes. I ask the Congress people—
everyone already knows you are politically naked, then what was the need to remove your clothes? What
Congress leaders did there shows how ideologically bankrupt and impoverished the country’s oldest party
has become.
Friends,
No one can imagine this. We are the kind of people who, when there is a wedding in a village, the entire
village comes together wholeheartedly to make it successful, so that the guests leave with a good
impression of the village. But Congress is busy defaming its own country.
Friends,
Congress leaders hate Modi. They want to dig my grave, they have no hesitation in insulting my mother,
they oppose the BJP, they oppose the NDA. Fine, if that is necessary for their politics, we can understand
and tolerate it. But Congress should have remembered that the AI Global Summit was not a BJP event, nor
was any BJP leader present there. It was a national event, a matter of national pride, built on the sweat of
the people. Yet Congress broke all boundaries of decency. The entire country is condemning Congress’s
conduct. But unfortunately, instead of feeling ashamed, the leaders of such an old party are shamelessly
cheering those who insulted the nation. This behavior of Congress is continuous. Look at what they did in
Parliament—unable to perform themselves, they don’t let their allies speak, they don’t let Parliament
function. And the biggest loss is suffered by Congress’s allies. They now understand this. The
shamelessness Congress displayed in Delhi shocked all their allies, who have now distanced themselves.
I also want to humbly request the country’s media. I pray to God to give me strength to endure everything
from the media. But today I request them—when we criticize such actions, please don’t make headlines
like “Modi slammed the opposition.” Stop these tricks to protect Congress. By calling it “the opposition,”
you save Congress, while other opposition parties suffer. Congress commits the sin, but others pay the
price. Congress’s ecosystem always plays this game—Congress sins, criticism is directed at Congress,
anger is directed at Congress, but in the media only the word “opposition” appears, not Congress. Why are
you protecting Congress? By doing this, you neither save Congress nor force it to improve. If you start
writing clearly that it is Congress’s fault, then see the difference. In Delhi, did TMC commit any sin? No.
Did DMK commit any sin? No. Did BSP commit any sin? No. Did Farooq Abdullah’s party commit any
sin? No. Only reckless Congress leaders are bent on destroying the nation. If you want to sit in the Prime
Minister’s chair, first you must win the hearts of the people. By sending women MPs to forcibly occupy
seats, you cannot become Prime Minister. Why are you compelled to push mothers and sisters forward like
this? Have you become so hollow?
Friends,
Congress has become a burden on the nation. I am satisfied that after the incident in Delhi, all of
Congress’s allies had the courage to strongly criticize Congress. I publicly thank these opposition allies for
standing with the truth and with the pride of the nation.
Friends,For the BJP government, the development of the nation and of Uttar Pradesh is paramount. But remember,
ten years ago, what was UP known for? Everyone talked about riots in Meerut, gangs of criminals in
western UP, bad roads, power cuts, and backwardness. Films were made about western UP’s crime. The
SP government had reduced UP to this state. But today UP is known for development. Today our UP is
known for BrahMos, for mobile phone manufacturing, for airports, for increasing tourist facilities. UP is
also building its identity in the sporting ecosystem. Work on the Sports University in Meerut is
progressing rapidly.
Friends,
In SP’s rule, criminals roamed fearlessly. Today, under Yogi ji’s government, they are spending their days
in jail. No one dares to insult our daughters coming out of colleges.
Friends,
When law and order improves, an environment is created for trade, business, and shops. That is why today
UP’s economy is witnessing tremendous growth. Under Yogi ji’s leadership, UP is becoming a major
manufacturing hub of the country. Just yesterday, I had the opportunity to lay the foundation stone of UP’s
first semiconductor factory. With this factory, UP’s strength will increase even more. It will create
extraordinary opportunities for new investments and new jobs. I assure you, the BJP’s double-engine
government will continue working to make UP the largest economy in the country. When UP develops,
only then will India develop. Once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you for the Namo
Bharat train and metro project. We are celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram. Say with me—
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
***
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