Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the government has drawn up a roadmap for the development of space sector and that day was not far when an Indian will travel to the Moon in an indigenously built spacecraft.
Addressing a function here, the prime minister said India's Gaganyaan will soon ferry Indian astronauts to space and the country also plans to establish its own space station.
"We have drawn a strong roadmap till 2040 for the space sector...that day is not far when we will land an Indian on the Moon on our own spacecraft," PM Modi said after flagging off the first Namo Bharat train on the 17-km stretch of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System.
PM Modi recalled that India's Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 had recently placed the country's tricolour on the lunar surface.
He said India of the 21st century was writing new chapters of progress and the landing of Chandrayaan on the Moon had left the world awestruck.
"With the impeccable hosting of the G20 Summit, today's India has become the centre of attraction and curiosity for the world which finds new opportunities to connect. Today's India wins more than 100 medals in the Asian Games.
"Today's India launches 5G on its strength and takes it to all corners of the country. Today's India does the highest digital transactions in the world. Namo Bharat trains that were flagged off today are also made in India," the prime minister said.
Earlier this month, the prime minister set goals for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by asking engineers and scientists to work towards setting up an Indian Space Station by 2035 and sending an Indian astronaut to the lunar surface by 2040.
PM Modi also asked scientists to undertake interplanetary missions such as a Venus orbiter and also attempt a landing on Mars.
He also said the government has handed over festival gifts by reducing the gas cylinder price by Rs 500 for Ujjwala beneficiaries, free ration to more than 80 crore citizens, four per cent dearness allowance and dearness relief to the central government employees and pensioners and Diwali bonus for lakhs of group B and C non-gazetted railway employees.
"This will benefit the entire economy as it will promote economic activities in the market," he said.
The prime minister said that the festive joy in every family increases when such "sensitive decisions" are taken and the happiness of every family in the country makes up for the festive mood.
"You are my family, so you are my priority. This work is being done for you. If you are happy, I will be happy. If you are empowered, the country will emerge stronger," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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