Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be arriving on a two-day visit in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Sunday during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 37 projects valued worth over Rs 19,000 crore for the development of the Varanasi and the Purvanchal region.

Modi, who will reach here on Sunday afternoon, will be welcomed by Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, after which he will spend about 25 hours in Varanasi, an official statement said here.

On the first day of his visit to Varanasi, Modi will launch the second edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam in the evening at the Namo Ghat.

At this event, he will flag off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express, which is to ply between Kanyakumari and Varanasi.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam, which will be held from December 17-31, will witness the participation of 1,400 dignitaries from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, who will visit Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya, it said.

The first batch of Tamil delegation comprising a group of students from various parts of Tamil Nadu named 'Ganga' reached Varanasi on Sunday. The group visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. During their stay, they will also visit Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

Six more groups comprising teachers (Yamuna), professionals (Godavari), spiritual (Saraswati), farmers and artisans (Narmada), writers (Sindhu) and traders and businessmen (Kaveri) will be reaching Varanasi to participate at the event.

In addition to the cultural exchange, an exhibition showcasing the rich tapestry of art, music, handlooms, handicrafts, cuisine, and other distinctive products from both Tamil Nadu and Kashi is also on the agenda.

The programme will further feature cultural events that highlight the unique traditions of Kashi and Tamil Nadu with the aim to strengthen ties between the people of these two regions, it said.

The Union Ministry of Education is the nodal agency for the event with participation from the ministries of culture, tourism, railways, textiles, food processing, MSME, information and broadcasting, skill development and entrepreneurship, IRCTC and related departments of the Uttar Pradesh government.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam will encompass lectures covering literature, ancient texts, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance, drama, yoga, and Ayurveda. Additionally, seminars are planned on “innovation, trade, knowledge exchange, edutech, and next-gen technology.

On Monday, Modi will participate in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra programme at Barki Gram Sabha of Sewapuri development block.

He will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 37 projects worth Rs 19,155 crore to Varanasi and Purvanchal from here, the release said.

It includes projects on roads and bridges, health and education, police welfare, smart city and urban development projects, railways, and airports.

A dedicated freight corridor project worth over Rs 10,000 crore, connecting New Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay to New Bhaupur will also be inaugurated by the prime minister.

Modi will inaugurate the Lahartara-Phulwaria-Shivpur four-lane road, completed at a cost of Rs 166 crore. He may also visit and offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the Kaal Bhairav Temple.

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