Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani said that both Rae Bareli and Amethi had suffered in the United Progressive Alliance rule because the local MPs took no interest in the development of these areas as they were more interested in their own development.
Talking to reporters after visiting the Modern Coach Factory (MCF) in Rae Bareli on Friday, Irani said the exodus of people from this city to other areas to eke out their living had stopped because they were now getting employment at their door steps.
“During the UPA regime, the production of coaches in the MCF was almost negligible. The coaches were brought from Kapoorthala and were shown as local production. But in the present National Democratic Alliance rule, the production has increased. Around 700 coaches have been made here so far and the target is to make over 2,000 coaches per annum,” she said.
Accusing the two Congress leaders of failing to develop their own constituencies, Irani claimed that 70-80 per cent of houses there were still made of mud.
The Union minister said besides production of train and Metro coaches, there was a proposal to produce train sets and MEMUs in the MCF.
“Such large production has given jobs to the local youths. They are now getting better facilities as their door steps,” she said and added: “This is not enough as much more is needed to be done.”
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi represents Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha while Congress president Rahul Gandhi is MP from Amethi.
Smriti Irani had herself contested the last election from Amethi and lost to Rahul.
Earlier in the day, Irani visited the MCF and had a look at the production of the latest railway coaches there.
MCF general manager Rajesh Agarwal gave a brief presentation on the ongoing projects.
The minister also visited different departments of the factory and saw the manufacturing processes of coaches.
During the visit of the minister, Congress MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh, MLA from Salon Dal Bahadur and other officials of the district were also present.