Mhow:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow.
Below are the highlights:
- It is my good fortune to seek blessings from the land where Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar was born on his 125th birth anniversary.
- I have come here in the past but there is a difference between then and now.
- I congratulate Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan for his work.
- Baba Saheb Ambedkar wasn't just a man. He was a virtue.
- He fought not against people but against social evils.
- A person who has so much knowledge, had opportunities all over the world.
- But he wanted to do something for India's oppressed.
- From today to the 24th we are launching a massive campaign.
- After so many years of independence, the way the lives of our villages should have changed with the times, - it is unfortunate that a lot is left to do.
- India cant progress with the progress of a handful of cities nor with the contribution of a few investors.
- We have to take the villages ahead for India's progress.
- Our budget this time is 100 per cent dedicated to the villages and farmers.
- All our sources of development have to be diverted to the progress of villages.
- From time to time, I keep reviewing our progress.
- I asked my officers how many villages in India don't have electricity, still live in 18th century.
- I thought it would be a few hundred. But I was told after nearly 70 years of independence there were 18,000 villages where power hasn't reached.
- In the country of Baba Saheb, 18K villages live in darkness, this is unacceptable.
- When I asked how much time it would take, they said it would take 7 years.
- When I said they have to do it faster, they said six years.
- But from the Red Fort, on Aug 15, I announced we would do it 1000 days. But now I hope we can do it sooner.
- And this process is transparent, you can check on your phone which villages have already got the power.
- Today we need optical fibre. We need an optical fibre network in 2.5 lakh villages. It may be difficult but we can't give up, we have to do it.
- Our farmers, if they are given some water he can grow gold in his fields.
- All a farmer wants is to fill stomachs of others, he doesn't shy away from hard work.
- By 2019 I want to double the income of our farmers. Many economists have said it is very difficult.
- If it had been easy, the country wouldn't have asked me to do it.
- Till we can increase the purchasing power of our villages, our economy wont grow.
- Baba Saheb Ambedkar wanted us to be educated, united and fight together. He was in favour of social justice. He was in favour of technology.
- Today from the treasury of the Indian government a village gets Rs 75 lakh every year.
- If this money is put to planned use, imagine the progress we can bring.
- The entire Indore district is now open defecation free. This is a great tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar.