PM Modi lays foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park in Himachal's Una

With an aim to give further impetus to the pharmaceutical sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park in Una, Himachal Pradesh. According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the Drug Park will be built at a cost of over Rs 1,900 crore. It will help reduce dependence on active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) imports.

It is expected to attract investment of around Rs 10,000 crores and provide employment to more than 20,000 people. It will also give a fillip to economic activities in the region, said the PMO statement. PM Modi also launched the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Una. Its foundation stone was laid by the Prime Minister in 2017.

Earlier today, PM Modi flagged off Vande Bharat Express from Una railway station during his visit to the hill state. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur were also present on the occasion.

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, it is the fourth Vande Bharat train that has been introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speed in shorter duration. It accelerates to 100 km per hour in just 52 seconds. The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel.

Heralding a new era of comfortable and enhanced rail travel experience, the new Vande Bharat Express is now ready for a commercial run today. This is the fourth Vande Bharat train in the country, the other three being run between New Delhi - Varanasi and New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and between Gandhinagar and Mumbai.

According to Railways, the new Vande Bharat trains have improved features including reclining seats, automatic fire sensors, CCTV cameras, on-demand content with wifi Facility, three-hour battery backup and GPS systems to make travelling safer and more comfortable.