PM Modi inaugurates manufacturing, financial infrastructure projects in Varanasi, Bhubaneswar
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated two projects spanning garment manufacturing and financial technology infrastructure, combining a push for regional employment with efforts to strengthen India’s increasingly digital financial system. The projects comprise Arvind Limited’s garment manufacturing facility in Varanasi and the Reserve Bank of India’s data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar.
Arvind plant targets jobs, apparel exports
In Varanasi, Modi inaugurated Arvind’s garment manufacturing facility in Mirzamurad, built at a reported cost of around ₹150 crore. Spread across approximately seven to eight acres, the plant is expected to generate thousands of jobs, with a focus on women from the region.
More than 300 women have reportedly been recruited for training at the facility, which will manufacture products including sportswear and undergarments for multinational brands. The project is expected to expand organised apparel production in eastern Uttar Pradesh and connect locally manufactured garments with international markets.
During his visit, Modi interacted with women workers and examined products made at the facility. Emphasising the theme “Apna Hunar, Apni Pehchan” (Your Skill, Your Identity), he highlighted the role of skills development in creating employment. The Prime Minister’s Office said Arvind’s global customer base would help garments made in Varanasi reach international markets.
RBI’s ₹169-crore facility targets cyber resilience
In Bhubaneswar, Modi inaugurated the RBI’s data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute at Info Valley-II in Jatni. Spread across 18.55 acres, the project cost ₹169 crore. Its foundation stone was laid by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on March 22, 2023.
The complex comprises four data centres designed to host mission-critical payment and settlement systems. It has received Tier IV certification from the Uptime Institute, a benchmark for data-centre resilience. The accompanying institute will support cybersecurity training, research and enterprise-technology capabilities.
“Today, digital banking has connected every Indian to 24-hour banking services,” Modi said, highlighting the expansion of formal financial services. He added that the coming decade must make banking “more efficient and more reliable”.
Warning of emerging cyber risks, Modi said, “A nation can also be weakened by attacking its economy,” arguing that India must protect its banking system from cybercriminals and cyberterrorists.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the data centre would house mission-critical RBI systems, including the Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) systems. The accompanying institute will develop expertise in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra reiterated the central bank’s focus on strengthening digital infrastructure, developing indigenous technological capabilities and improving cybersecurity as India works towards its 2047 developed-nation goal.
The two projects address distinct economic priorities: creating manufacturing employment and strengthening the technology underpinning financial services.