Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated May 21, 1957: Lignite mining at Neiveli

"We are anxious and impatient to advance fairly fast. But going fast or even taking some risk does not mean doing things foolishly without thought, without preparation and without planning," observed Prime Minister Nehru at Neiveli on May 20, explaining the Government's economic policy. He refuted the criticism that the Government were going too fast with regard to planning and undertaking too many burdens. Mr. Nehru, who was inaugurating the earth-moving operations under the lignite mining scheme at Neiveli, described the project as witness to the development to follow and said it promised to give a push to the industrialisation of South India. The function marked the completion of the exploration stage of the project and the initiation of the first major step for the extraction of lignite for use in power production. Exactly at noon, Mr. Nehru pressed a button which lifted the metallic covering of an artistic granite obelisk, marking the inauguration of the operations. On top of the obelisk was the country's emblem on the four sides of which were the words `Satyameva Jayate.' Underneath were four tablets in English, Hindi, Tamil and Sanskrit, commemorating the event. Simultaneously with the pressing of the button, a giant earth-moving machine supported by scores of vehicles and trucks began shovelling the earth from the lignite-bearing site. The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Madras Governor, Mr. A.J. John, Sardar Swaran Singh, Union Minister for Steel, Mines and Fuel, Mr. K. Kamaraj, Chief Minister of Madras, and Mrs. Indira Gandhi. The function was attended by a large and distinguished gathering.

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