NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone for a series of central and state government projects worth more than Rs 1.22 lakh crore in Banswara, Rajasthan.Among them was the Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd’s (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project, valued at about Rs 42,000 crore. The plant will have four 700 MW pressurized heavy water reactors and is expected to become one of the country’s largest nuclear facilities. PM Modi said that the project highlights his goal of providing affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity for all.The nuclear project will deliver steady base load power, strengthen India’s energy security and reinforce its efforts in clean energy. The reactors, designed by NPCIL with advanced safety systems, are part of India’s “fleet mode” plan to build ten standardised 700 MW units across the country. This model aims to save costs, speed up construction and improve operational efficiency.In addition, PM Modi opened and laid foundations for renewable energy projects in Rajasthan worth nearly Rs 19,210 crore. These include solar power facilities in Phalodi, Jaisalmer, Jalore and Sikar, along with a new project in Bikaner. The plants are expected to boost green power generation and help cut millions of tonnes of carbon emissions.Earlier, PM Modi and Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma paid floral tributes to Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya in Banswara on his birth anniversary.Earlier in the day, PM Modi also inaugurated the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show 2025 at Greater Noida. Welcoming traders, investors, entrepreneurs and young participants, he said he was pleased that more than 2,200 exhibitors were showcasing their products and services at the event.
