Eyes on Gujarat polls this year, PM launches slew of projects in home State
As he completes eight years in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted he did not give any reason to countrymen to hang their heads in shame. And with his eyes on the Gujarat Assembly polls later this year, Modi launched a slew of projects for the State, where he was joined by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“I have spared no effort in my service to the nation in the last eight years. I have neither allowed, nor personally done any such work that will make you or even a single person of India hang his head in shame. In 8 years, we made honest efforts to build India of the dreams of Bapu and Sardar Patel,” he said while addressing an event after inaugurating a multispeciality hospital in Rajkot.
Modi’s developmental push during his visit to Gujarat included the inauguration of world’s first Nano Urea Liquid plant by IFFCO at Kalol. He along with Shah also addressed a seminar of 7,000 leaders of various cooperative institutions, which, in a way, is seen as a Patidar outreach.
Modi inaugurated the newly-built Matushri KDP Multispeciality Hospital in Atkot, Rajkot, managed by Patel Seva Samaj and cited it as an example of what Government-private sector collaboration can achieve.
The PM will on May 31 visit Himachal Pradesh, which too will elect a new Assembly by the year-end. Modi had last month gone for a tribal outreach in Gujarat by addressing a big rally in tribal-dominated Dahod and launched projects worth Rs 22,000 crore for the region.
Modi said it is apt that he is on Gujarat soil on the eve of 8 years of service to the motherland and thanked the people of the State for giving him the opportunity and “sanskars” to serve the country.
Enlisting his performance, he informed that now more than 3 crore families have got a pucca house, more than 10 crore families have been freed from open defecation, more than 9 crore sisters have been freed from smoke in the kitchen, more than 2.5 crore families have got electricity connection, more than 6 crore families have got drinking water connection and more than 50 crore beneficiaries have got health coverage for up to Rs 5 lakh free of cost.
He said the prices of fertilisers have increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, but the Government has ensured that the farmers in the country do not face scarcity of urea and other inputs. “An imported urea bag of 50 kg costs Rs 3,500 but it is given to farmers at Rs 300, which means the Government spends Rs 3,200 per bag out of its pocket,” Modi pointed out.
The power of a full sack of urea has come into a half-litre bottle, leading to huge savings in transportation and storage, he outlined.
In his home State, where the BJP has run Governments for the last 27 years, Modi is ensuring that the “political fatigue” does not impact the voters in the State.
The replacement of Vijay Rupani as Chief Minister with Bhupendra Patel was a move last year to mitigate the anti-incumbency factor against the BJP, which is expecting a three-cornered contest with the entry of Punjab winner AAP in Gujarat while seeing the Congress as the main political rival.
The resignation of Patidar leader Hardik Patel from the Congress has relieved the BJP though the latter has yet not decided on his political options in the state.
Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the hospital, Modi said it will make available high-end medical equipment and provide world-class healthcare facilities to the region’s people. The Prime Minister said this hospital is for improving the health services in Saurashtra and is an example of the synergy between the Government and private sector for attempting to improve the lives of the people.
Speaking in Gujarati, the Prime Minister complimented the Patel community for their great work of public service. Recalling his days as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that in 2001 when the people of Gujarat gave him the opportunity to serve them, there were only 9 medical colleges, now there are 30 medical colleges in Gujarat.
“I wish to see a medical college in every district of Gujarat and the country. We have changed the rules and now medical and engineering students can study in their mother tongue”, he said.
“Today you have a son in Delhi who has ensured that no mother goes without treatment. That is why the PMJAY scheme has been launched”, he said. Similarly, there are Jan Aushadhi Kendras for affordable medicine and International Yoga Day is being celebrated for the good health of everyone, the Prime Minister said.
He said 75 lakh women are directly linked with the dairy society in Gujarat which will be developed further. Modi informed the audience that the dairy sector generates revenue of more than Rs 8.50 lakh crore which is more than what comes from wheat and rice.