PM Modi was addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Yavatmal
Invoking Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar's tenure as Union Agriculture Minister under the Congress-led UPA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said money sanctioned by Delhi for the distressed farmers of Vidarbha was 'looted' midway.
Setting the campaign tone for the ruling BJP-led NDA in the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi launched a blistering attack on the partners in the INDIA bloc at a rally in Yavatmal, saying, "What was the state of farmers when the partners in the INDI-alliance were in Delhi (under Congress-led UPA)? The Agriculture Minister at the time was from Maharashtra (Sharad Pawar). Packages were announced for the distressed farmers of Vidarbha from Delhi but the money was looted somewhere in transit. The poor, farmers and the Adivasis received little or nothing in the way of support. Today, I pressed a button and Rs 21,000 crore under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi reached the accounts of crores of farmers across the country. This is Modi's guarantee."
"We have outlined four biggest priorities to make India a developed country by 2047. We will focus on the poor, farmers, youth and women power in pursuit of our vision to take the country to its promised heights. If we can ensure the strength of these four key sections of our population, every community and household in the country will be strong. The work being done in Yavatmal is a reflection of this commitment of ours. Today, farmers are getting all sorts of irrigation support while the poor are getting concrete roofs over their heads. Women across village are receiving income support while public infrastrucure is being developed in line with the aspirations of the youth," PM Modi said.
He added that Rs 3,800 crore has been transferred separately to the accounts of farmers in Maharashtra.
"Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, more than Rs 3 lakh crore has been deposited in the accounts of 11 crore farmers across the country. The farmers have received Rs 30,000 crore, of which Rs 900 crore has been wired directly to the accounts of farmers in Yavatmal.
"The work on a plan to build the world's largest wahehouse for storing food grains has started. These warehouses will be built by cooperative societies of farmers, who will also have control over it. Small farmers will be able to derive huge benefits from this storage facility. They will no longer be under the compulsion to sell their produce at low rates," PM Modi said.
"Before 2014, a rural distress swept the country but the INDI-alliance partners that were in power at the time were indifferent to the concerns of the people. From independence till 2014, only about 15 of 100 families in a village had piped water supply. The majority of those deprived were Dalits, poor and tribals. It was Modi who guaranteed piped water to every household from the ramparts of the Red Fort. I am happy to share with you all that in only about 4-5 years since I made the announcement, piped water has reached 75 of every 100 families. That's why the whole country is saying that Modi's guarantee stands for the fulfillment of all guarantees," he added.
PM Modi claimed previous Congress-led government at the Centre put as many as 100 major irrigation projects in the country on hold for decades, adding that work on 60 of these projects has been completed and the remaining will be done soon.
"I also guaranteed that my sisters across villages will become 'Lakhpati Didi'. I can tell you that one crore sisters have already become Lakhpati Didis. During the presentation of the budget, we announced of Lakhpati Didis would be raised to 3 crore. Today, the number of women self-help groups has gone past 10 crores. They have received assistance worth Rs 8 lakh crore from banks. Under the 'Namo Drone Didi' scheme, some of our sisters are being trained to become drone pilots, after which the government will give them drones through which they will provide assistance to farmers," Prime Minister Modi said.
Claiming that tribals were ignored during the Congress years, he said, "No big plan was ever made for our Vishwakarma (skilled artisan) friends. It was Modi who launched 'PM Vishwakarma Yojana' worth Rs 13,000 crore for the first time. It was Modi again who thought the welfare and well-being of some of our most backward citizens and tribals. For the first time, Rs 23,000 crore under 'PM Jaan-Mana Yojana' was allocated for their development."
Reinforcing his pledge to take 'Vikas' (development) to the far corners of the country, PM Modi added, "We have also set out on a mission to change the lives of our fellow citizens. The work we have done over the last 10 years has laid the foundation for what is to be done in the next 25 years. I have resolved to take Vikas to every corner of India. Every fibre of my being and every second of my time is dedicated to your service."
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