By News18,Shobhit Gupta
Copyright news18
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a swipe at the Congress over development issues, saying that the grand old party’s previous regimes never prioritised providing electricity to the people.
While addressing a gathering after launching and laying foundation stones of several projects worth over Rs 1,22,100 crore at Rajasthan’s Banswara, he said that several regions in the country didn’t have electricity even decades after independence.
“Congress never paid attention to the importance of electricity. When I had the opportunity to serve in 2014, there were 2.5 crore houses in the country that did not have an electricity connection. After 70 years of independence, 18,000 villages still lacked electricity poles. Major cities faced hours-long power cuts. A 4-5 hour electricity supply in villages was celebrated,” he said as quoted by news agency ANI.
He further highlighted that after coming to power in 2014, his government provided electricity to every village in India and gave free power connections to 2.5 crore houses
“People used to joke, “Hamare yahan bijli gayi woh news nahi hai. Bijli aayi, woh news hai… People congratulated each other when they had electricity for an hour… In 2014, our government decided to change this situation… We provided electricity to every village in India. We gave free power connections to 2.5 crore houses,” he added.
The Prime Minister emphasised that under the double-engine government (Centre-state), Rajasthan is continuously touching new heights. He said that India is taking its electricity production to the next level, claiming the country will lead the world in having clean energy.
He further slammed the Congress of corruption and crimes against women in the state, saying that under the Congress’s rule, Rajasthan became a centre for paper leaks.
“Our government is healing the wounds caused by Congress’s corruption. Rajasthan became a centre for paper leak under the Congress government. Jal Jeevan mission was also sacrificed for corruption. Crime against women was at its peak. Rapists were being protected. Crime and the illegal liquor business thrived in regions like Banswara, Dungarpur, and Pratapgarh. But when the BJP was given a chance, we strengthened the law and order… New projects are being launched…” he added.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects of the central and state government worth over Rs 1,22,100 crore in Banswara.
The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd’s (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around Rs 42,000 crore in line with his commitment to transform India’s power sector to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power supply.
PM Modi also flagged off three trains – Vande Bharat Express Train between Bikaner & Delhi Cantt, Vande Bharat Express Train between Jodhpur, and Delhi Cantt and Udaipur City – Chandigarh Express – Banswara.
(With inputs from agencies)
