Taking a jibe at former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s ‘garibi hatao’ slogan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the entire country was hearing it for over the past
50 years.
“We heard the ‘garibi hatao’ slogan for 40-50 years. The intention of those who gave it may have been good, but the path they chose to eradicate poverty was certainly wrong because poverty, unemployment and disease grew,” he said.
Modi appealed for people’s cooperation to make India poverty-free, while asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was synonymous with development, which was talking place in all party-ruled states. “You can look at the condition of states where BJP is yet to get a foothold,” he said, apparently taking a dig at the Naveen Patnaik government in the state.
Addressing a public meeting in the ‘missile city’ on the completion of the NDA government’s two years in office, he asked the people of the state to bring about a political change.
Pitching for development in Odisha, eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Assam, Modi asserted that his government was committed to making the country poverty-free.
“In my first speech in Parliament, I had stated that my government is dedicated to the welfare of the poor. My aim is to ensure sustainable development in all states. There should be an integrated way of development so that all states move forward in an even manner,” he said.
The Prime Minister said, “The time has come and one has to think why the western part of our country is more developed than the eastern region. Odisha is endowed with natural resources, but still people here are neglected and the state lacks development.”
States such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh show that “BJP means development and development means BJP”, he said.
Noting that development created all-round happiness, the PM said to attain that goal the states and the Centre must have a good understanding. Modi said his government gave importance to infrastructure development in areas like rail, road and schools.
The schemes meant for the people should involve them for implementation, else they would remain only on paper, he said.
Listing various schemes for the poor initiated by the Centre, he said these steps had brought confidence and given poeple socio-economic well-being.
Governments were not for the rich and they should work towards fighting poverty, he said, adding that scientific solutions were needed to remove poverty.
During his nearly hour-long speech at the ‘Vikas Utsav’, Modi described himself as the country’s “pradhan sevak” and welcomed public scrutiny of governmental work.
Modi said it was his responsibility to give an account of the work being done and every penny spent. Governments in the past had never come forward with any such account.
“I am happy that before the people of Odisha, the country’s ‘pradhan sevak’ is presenting an account of the works done. Did governments in the past come here to give an account. In the past 70 years has any government given such an account? When election comes, they would come up sops,” he said.
Lashing out at the Congress governments, Modi said, “The previous governments thought they were good. But we have seen the results. We believe in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas...development through people’s participation.”
Noting that gender discrimination in the country, he said, “When it comes to gender equality, though we are living in the 21st century many people have a mindset that was there in the 18th century. That must change.” Modi referred to ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme and lauded girls for their achievement in various examinations.
He said immunisation drive like ‘Indradhanush’, informal education schemes like ‘Anganwadi’ meant for the five to six-year-old, mid-day meal, ‘Sukanya Sambrudhi’, toilets for school children and others have yielded results.
The NDA government has been successful in electrifying 7,000 of the targeted 18,000 unelectrified villages in 300 days, he said, adding the remaining work would be done within 1000 days.