‘PREVIOUS GOVTS FILLED CASH CHESTS, DIDN’T CLEAN GANGA’
VARANASI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said previous governments filled their cash chests in the name of cleaning the Ganga, while his regime had made sustainable efforts to clean the river under the Namami Gange scheme.
Modi was addressing a huge rally at Kachnar in his parliamentary constituency after gifting schemes worth Rs 937 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
He said, “During the previous regimes, millions of rupees were washed away in the river, but the Ganga didn’t become clean.” Over 200 projects were introduced from Gangotri to Gangasagar to clean the river, Modi said, adding that these projects will yield the desired results.
VARANASI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said previous governments filled their cash chests in the name of cleaning the Ganga, while his regime had made sustainable efforts to clean the river under the Namami Gange scheme.
Modi was addressing a huge rally at Kachnar in his parliamentary constituency after gifting schemes worth Rs 937 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
He said, “During the previous regimes, millions of rupees flowed down the river, but the Ganga didn’t become clean.” Over 200 projects were introduced from Gangotri to Gangasagar to clean the river, Modi said, adding that these projects will yield the desired results.
He also said previous governments didn’t do anything for Kashi and as a result Varanasi lacked facilities even four years ago.
Back then, drains overflowed, roads were broken, garbage lay on the streets, electricity wires hung overhead and there were no arrangements to clean the ghats, he said.
The road to Babatpur from Varanasi was badly potholed, he added.
But now cleanliness of the ghats, roads, lanes and parks across Varanasi had been ensured and Babatpur road had been constructed, he said. Hanging electricity wires were becoming a thing of the past as underground lines were laid under the integrated power development scheme.
He said over the four years, efforts were made to ensure Varanasi’s development as per the requirements of the 21st century while maintaining its antiquity.
“A new Banaras is being created for New India. The soul of the new Banaras will remain ‘puratan’ (old), but it will have a new physique. There will be modernity too along with spirituality. Each particle will have values, but all the arrangements and systems will be smart. This picture of the transforming
Banaras can now be seen all over,” Modi said.
“I tried as much as I could till now for development of Kashi and will continue to work for development of Kashi and the nation,” he said.
He lauded people of Banaras for not forgetting their values wherever they go.
While beginning his speech, he expressed grief at the deaths in the Varanasi flyover tragedy of May 15.
He praised chief minister Yogi
Adityanath for creating an atmosphere for development of the state. He also appreciated the industrial policy of UP. Modi said Kashi’s development picked up speed after the BJP came to power in the state early last year.
While Kashi was traditionally known as mokshadayini, many people now came here in search of life as the city had emerged as a medical hub with several medical facilities being developed here, he said. A super-speciality centre was being constructed in
BHU.
Eight thousand houses in Kashi had piped cooking gas supply now, Modi said, adding that work to provide piped cooking gas supply to 40,000 families would begin soon. He appealed to Kashites to give a grand welcome to NRIs when they visit the city for the Pravasiya Bharatiya Diwas convention on January 21- 23, 2019. Modi said, “As a Kashite, I will work shoulder to shoulder with all of you to welcome the NRIs.”