Our govt not for vote bank but for development: Modi
PM’S trip also gains significance, as the ruling BJP prepares for assembly polls in the state, due by May; govt slams BBC documentary on Modi, calls it ‘biased propaganda piece’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various developmental projects related to irrigation, drinking water besides a National Highway development project at Kodekal in Karnataka’s Yadgiri district.
This is the second visit of the Prime Minister to the poll bound Karnataka this month.
He was in Hubballi on Jan.12 to inaugurate the National Youth Festival, during which he had held a massive road show.
PM’S trip also gains significance, as the ruling BJP prepares for assembly polls in the state, due by May and has set a target of winning a minimum of 150 out of total 224 seats.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers Bhagwanth Khuba, several ministers from the state cabinet, legislators and officials were present at the event.
Aimed at providing safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households, Modi in Kodekal laid the foundation stone for Yadgiri multi-village drinking water supply scheme under Jal Jeevan Mission.
Also a water treatment plant of 117 MLD will be built under the scheme.
The project, which costs more than Rs 2,050 crore, will provide potable water to about 2.3 lakh households of more than 700 rural habitations and three towns of Yadgiri district.
During the programme, the PM also inaugurated the Narayanpur Let Bank Canal – Extension Renovation and Modernisation Project (NLBC – ERM).
The project, with a canal carrying capacity of 10,000 cusecs, can irrigate 4.5 lakh hectares of command area. It will benefit more than three lakh farmers in 560 villages of Kalaburagi, Yadgiri and Vijayapura districts.
The total cost of the project is about Rs 4,700 crores.
He also laid the foundation stone of the 65.5 km section of NH-150C.
This 6-lane Greenfield road project is part of Surat – Chennai Expressway. It is being built at a cost of about Rs 2,000 crore.
Modi said previous governments were responsible for backwardness of northern part of the state.
Addressing a public rally in Kudekal village of Yadgir district, Modi said: “The north Karnataka region has the same potential as other regions.
“But, the previous governments did not even bother to think of providing infrastructure, water, road and power to the region.”
He appreciated Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and team for working towards speedy development of north Karnataka region.
The region will take strides in development in coming days, he added.
“We have to learn from the past blunders. Earlier governments have washed their hands of ensuring development by declaring the region as backward,” he said.
He further atacked the opposition that they were only eying votes on caste and religion basis.
“Unless every district of the country develops, the country will not progress. Yadgir is one among the top 10 of the 100 aspirational districts in the country.
“It has achieved 100 per cent vaccination of children, the number of children with malnutrition rate has come down, Yadgir district has 100 per cent connectivity of village roads,” he said.
“North Karnataka region is a ‘bowl of dals’. The farmers of this region have helped the country to reduce the import of dal from foreign countries,” he said.
Modi stated that India has “pressurised” the UN to declare this year as the International year of Millets.
Meanwhile, the government on Thursday criticised a BBC series on Modi, terming it “a biased propaganda piece.”
“The documentary is a reflection on the agency that has made it. We think it is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative.
“The bias, lack of objectivity and continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible. Can’t dignify such a film,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
The two-part BBC series “India: The Modi Question” has evoked sharp reactions.