New Delhi, 19 June (H.S.):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day visit to West Bengal on June 20 and 21. During the visit, he will participate in the Paschim Banga Diwas celebrations in Hooghly district, inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several development projects, launch multiple Central government agricultural initiatives for farmers, and lead the International Day of Yoga celebrations in Kolkata on June 21.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, on June 20, the Prime Minister will attend the Paschim Banga Diwas celebrations at Tarakeswar in Hooghly district. On the occasion, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several development projects related to the railway, agriculture, rural development, fisheries, and animal husbandry sectors, besides addressing a public gathering.

The Prime Minister will release the 23rd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into the bank accounts of more than 9.44 crore farmers across the country. More than Rs 18,880 crore will be transferred directly to beneficiaries. In West Bengal alone, over 45 lakh farmers will receive more than Rs 900 crore under the scheme.

Prime Minister Modi will also launch the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in West Bengal. During 2026–27, the scheme aims to provide crop insurance coverage to nearly 50 lakh farmers and around 14 lakh hectares of agricultural land in the state. In addition, he will launch the AgriStack initiative under the Digital Agriculture Mission, the National Mission on Natural Farming, and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the modernised fishing harbour at Fraserganj in South 24 Parganas district and a new modern fish market at Sainthia in Birbhum district. He will also inaugurate a Regional Semen Production Laboratory and Semen Bank for goats at Haringhata in Nadia district, the first facility of its kind in eastern India.

Railway infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 590 crore will also receive a major boost. The Prime Minister will dedicate the Sankrail–Santragachi Link Line Project in Howrah district to the nation. He will also lay the foundation stone for a new 300-bed Divisional Railway Hospital in Howrah and the Haur–Radhamohanpur Rail Over Bridge (ROB) in Purba Medinipur district.

Additionally, the Prime Minister will inaugurate 49 road projects developed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-III), with a combined length of more than 315 kilometres. These projects are expected to significantly improve road connectivity in rural areas.

On June 21, Prime Minister Modi will lead the 12th International Day of Yoga celebrations at Kolkata's Red Road. This year's theme is Yoga for Healthy Ageing. He will participate in the Common Yoga Protocol session alongside thousands of yoga practitioners and address the gathering.

Later, the Prime Minister will commission three indigenously designed and built naval vessels—INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray—into the Indian Navy at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata. Designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau, the vessels have been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, with the participation of more than 200 MSMEs. More than 75 per cent of the components used in these ships are indigenous, marking a significant milestone in India's journey towards the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar