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Following completion of four years of the BJP led NDA Government at the centre; Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed a huge public meeting at the Bali Jatra ground in Cuttack, Odisha on 26 May, 2018. Paying tributes to Lord Jagannath, PM Shri Modi said that Cuttack was the land associated with great freedom fighters like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Shri Modi said that it was the affection of people that energized him to work dedicatedly towards welfare of all. He stated that in the last four years, an environment of hope and trust was developed among people and the nation was moving from anarchy to good governance, from black money (Kaala Dhan) to Jan Dhan.
Terming that betterment of the poor was the Government’s biggest priority, the Prime Minister said, “The President, Vice President and the Pradhan Sevak have had humble beginnings and that is why the NDA Government is committed to serving the people of the country.” He remarked that the BJP had emerged as the single largest party having its presence from Panchayat to Parliament. With Saaf Niyat and Sahi Vikas, he said that the work being done by the NDA Government was enhancing India’s stand on the world stage and the country was being applauded world over.
Shri Modi said that in the last four years, the country had moved from being in a state of ‘confusion’ towards ‘commitment’. In this context, he shed light on several decisions of the government like surgical strikes across the LoC, resolution of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) for ex-servicemen, steps to fight corruption and enhance transparency in the governance system.
Criticizing the Congress and other non-NDA ally parties, he said that steps undertaken by the NDA Government at Centre to curb corruption and formalize the country’s economy in the last 48 months had forced them to come together as they could not rid the country of corruption and cobweb of tax structure in 48 years. “What the Congress gave to the country in the last 48 years is corruption and scams. That is why it is necessary to compare NDA’s 48 months to Congress’ 48 years of misrule”, PM Shri Modi added further.
He assailed the Congress for only thinking about its welfare and not the people of the country. He added, “For ten years, the country had a Prime Minister who was commanded by a remote control, ministers were directed through emails.”
For as long as seventy years, the PM exclaimed that steps or initiatives which would have empowered the poor were reserved only for those who were well-off. “Be it sanitation measures or opening up bank accounts, the poor and marginalized people never benefitted in the Congress’ seventy years”, the PM said. In this context, he highlighted the matter of Paradip Oil Refinery in Odisha, which was envisioned under Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership, but the subsequent Congress government stalled the project. “It was in 2014, that the NDA Government at Centre initiated work on the project”, he said.
Shri Modi expounded on the work being done by the NDA Government at Centre in ensuring electricity in all 18,500 odd villages, construction of toilets, proving cooking gas connections under Ujjwala Yojana, repealing over 1400 laws, development of the ports, implementation of the GST and launch of the first phase of Ayushman Bharat Yojana. He said that rapid strides were being made by the Centre to enhance the lives of poor and middle class. “For us good politics means development and good governance”, he said.
Shri Modi said that the Government’s stress was on creating next generation infrastructure and hence, it was focusing on initiatives like Bharatmala and Sagarmala. He also highlighted Government’s commitment to develop smart cities, better connectivity through highways, railways, subways, waterways and i-ways. The PM also spoke at length about the International Solar Alliance and how through the alliance India was leading the entire world in mitigating climate change. “From North-East to Jammu and Kashmir, our Government is devoted to build Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat”, he said.
The PM alleged that the Odisha government misled farmers of the state on Mahanadi waters. He said that the BJP was committed to address their problems and efforts were being undertaken to improve irrigation facilities. Apart from Mahanadi, five other rivers flow through the State. The State government has failed to utilize their water as well, Shri Modi said.
Further targeting the State government, the PM said that the people of Odisha want to know why the Lower Indravati irrigation project, which started 20 years ago, was delayed for so long. Pulling up the State government on deteriorating healthcare infrastructure in the Eastern parts of the country including Odisha, Shri Modi said, “Situation in these States especially Odisha is very grim. Questions are being raised as to what work the State governments have done so far. There are no days when one doesn’t come across embarrassing pictures on media from the Tribal areas of Odisha.”
He further pointed out, “As the Odisha government is not carrying out its responsibilities properly, the Centre has taken the onus to improve healthcare. Under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, wellness centres have been set up in villages so that people won’t have to travel long distances.”
For critical care, AIIMS has been set up in Bhubaneswar. Besides that Cuttack, Berhampur and Burla medical colleges are being upgraded, Shri Modi added. “Not only these institutions will be medical centres only, but apart from medical education new seats will be added to produce more doctors and nurses, which will generate jobs,” he added.
Apart from this, institutions of national repute are also being established in Odisha to develop professional education. IIM in Sambalpur and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Berhampur will open up more opportunities for youths, Shri Modi stated. Shri Modi stated that with ‘Saaf Nityat’ and ‘Sahi Vikas’, the country would continue to march on the path of development.
Highlights:
It is my good fortune that I got the opportunity to greet my 125 crore countrymen from the land of Lord Jagannath.
Great freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born in this holy land.
The affection of people is what energizes me to work more.
NDA government is on the right path. We have won the trust of people.
The President, Vice President and the Pradhan Sevak have had humble beginnings and that is why the NDA Government is committed to serving the people of the country.
BJP has over 1,500 legislators across India.
In last four years, BJP in true sense has become Panchayat to Parliament party.
In these four years, the 125 crore Indian have come to believe that our India can change. Today the nation is going from ‘Kala Dhan to ‘Jan Dhan’, from bad governance to good governance.
When the government is committed and not confused, a decision like a surgical strike is taken.
It is important to remember the issues which the nation was facing 4 years ago, the atmosphere there was four years ago. It is important to remember how much did the family, which ruled the nation for 48 years, cared for it.
2014, 39% of the population had access to sanitation facilities; today the figure is over 80%. From independence till 2014 there were around 6 crore toilets in the country but in last four years 7.5 crore toilets have been made.