Varanasi, Feb 21 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 14,000 crore in Varanasi on February 23.

According to Kashi region BJP president Dilip Patel, BJP workers will welcome the Prime Minister as he arrives in the city on Thursday evening.

From the airport to Banaras Locomotive Work guest house, BJP workers and citizens will shower petals on Prime Minister Modi amid 'damarus' being played by the Damaru Dal and the sound of conch shells.

On February 23, PM Modi will attend a programme at Swatantra Bhavan, BHU, where he will give away certificates to toppers of Sansad Sanskrit Pratiyogita.

Thereafter, he will visit Sant Ravidas Temple in Seergovardhan where he will offer prayers to Sant Ravidas and will have 'prasad' in the Langar (community feast).

He will also unveil a statue of Sant Ravidas on the temple premises and address a public meeting.

Patel said that the Prime Minister will visit Banas Dairy Plant, Karkhiyavan.

Before addressing another public meeting, PM Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth about Rs 14,316 crore.

Of these, he will inaugurate 23 projects worth Rs 10,972 crore and lay the foundation stone of (over a dozen) projects worth Rs 3,344 crore.

The foundation stones of 12 projects, including the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campus in Bada Lalpur, the National Centre for Aging at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Expressway to be built under the Bharatmala project, multi-level car parking at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi, and Advanced Research and Manufacturing Plant by BHEL at Karkhiyaon, Varanasi Medical College, Sant Guru Ravidas Museum and Park will be laid.

Inauguration of Banas Kashi Sankul Dairy at Karkhiyavan, renovation and expansion of Sigra Stadium, waste to charcoal plant to be built in Ramna and Panchkoshi Parikrama Marg will be done during the Prime Minister's visit.