BALLIA (UP), May 1:
Setting development and poverty eradication as agenda for the next Uttar Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a Rs 8,000 crore scheme to provide 5 crore free LPG connections to poor families and attacked previous Governments for not doing much despite many Prime Ministers being elected from the State.
“Uttar Pradesh gave many Prime Ministers. But poverty increased. Number of poor increased. (Governments) could not empower poor to fight poverty.
“There were many promises and policies were made. But these schemes were not framed keeping in mind the interest of poor. Rather, the focus was on ballot box (election),” Modi said.
Elaborating about abject poverty in eastern Uttar Pradesh, he said, “In 1955, in Nehru’s presence, an MP from Ghazipur raised the issue of people washing cow dung to find grain to eat. After that, a Patel Commission was set which gave many recommendation for the State. Now after 50 years, what happened to those suggestions, God knows.”
Poverty, he said, can be eradicated only if poor are empowered, given resources and opportunities as well as education, jobs, houses, drinking water and electricity.
He questioned the policies pursued by the previous Government for poverty eradication, saying poverty has only increased during past years.
“We are working to fight poverty,” he said adding under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, free LPG connections will be provided in the name of women members of BPL households.
In the first year, 1.5 crore such connections will be released and the target of 5 crore will be completed in three years, he said, comparing it to the just 13 crore LPG connections provided in 60 years of independence.
Taking a dig at speculations that this event was organised to launch the State election campaign, he said, “Those who are political pundits are saying that Modi has come here for sounding the election bugle. But I have not come here to launch the election campaign. I chose Ballia for the launch of the scheme as the district’s average gas connection penetration is 8 out of 100, which is one of the lowest in the country.”
The polls in the State are due in 2017 as the term of the Assembly ends in May.
Explaining about development eliminating poverty, Modi said, “We have done the unthinkable…We have made petroleum sector work for the poor. It was not considered the sector for the poor.”
Calling himself ‘Shramik No.1’ (Worker No.1), he listed various initiatives taken by his Government for the welfare of labourers.
The launch coincided with May Day and Modi attacked previous Governments for doing little for poor. “Policies made by previous governments was not keeping in mind the welfare of poor but only ballot boxes,” he said.
“In my first speech in Central Hall of Parliament after BJP Goverment came to power (in 2014), I had said my Government is dedicated to the poor.
“Whatever this Government does, will be for the benefit of the poor and for the welfare of poor,” he said as he listed out initiatives like raising minimum pension to Rs 1,000 and introduction of labour identification number (LIN).
The maximum wage that entitles bonus to workers has been raised to Rs 21,000 from Rs 10,000 per month previously, while bonus limit too has been doubled to Rs 7,000.
Provident fund (PF) portability has been provided to help utilise the Rs 27,000 crore of retirement benefits lying unused because of workers changing jobs or cities. (PTI)
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