PM Modi pledges to improve irrigation in Vidharba region

NAGPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dubbed that the Congress and the INDIA bloc have always been ‘anti-farmer’ and ‘anti-poor’, which has hindered the country’s development.

Modi, who was addressing an election rally for BJP candidates Ramdas Tadas (Wardha) and Navneet Rana (Amravati) in Talegaon, bordering Wardha district, highlighted the challenges faced by Vidarbha farmers because of the Congress government’s dismal attitude. On the other hand, he said the NDA government prioritises this backwards region’s development. He emphasized the BJP government’s commitment to address Vidarbha’s needs and empower its residents.

The PM also held the Congress and INDIA bloc responsible for the longstanding challenges farmers faced in the country and pledged to improve irrigation facilities and address agricultural issues in regions like Wardha and Amravati.

Sharing the plight of farmers from Wardha and Amravati, Modi said, “We all know how farmers from Wardha and Amravati are reeling under the irrigation crisis. The previous governments never worked honestly in this direction. In 2014, there were 99 major irrigation projects in the country which were stuck for decades with Maharashtra accounting for the highest number. It is the NDA government, which is getting them completed rapidly.”

Modi claimed that the Congress is resorting to divisive tactics and lacks an all-inclusive development agenda which is in sharp contrast to the BJP’s focus on progress and inclusivity. He mentioned the government’s efforts to help millions of people out of poverty and promote women’s economic self-dependence through initiatives like self-help groups.

“The INDIA Alliance struggles with a lack of substantial issues, resorting to politics of insults. Inviting leaders opposed to Sanatan principles to Maharashtra, they boycott events like the Ayodhya Ram temple inauguration, dismissing it as hypocrisy. However, their denial contradicts the nation’s deep devotion to such occasions, revealing the true face of the INDIA Alliance,” he highlighted.

“In a remarkable decade of progress, this humble servant (Modi) has honoured the unspoken, lifting 250 million out of poverty, illuminating every village, providing water connections to 110 million, granting PM-Awas to 40 million impoverished families, and integrating over 500 million into the economy through banking. Each achievement is a testament to our collective dedication and determination towards a brighter, more inclusive future,” he said.

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a developed and self-reliant India, Modi called on the people of Wardha and Amravati to support the BJP in realising this dream. He highlighted the government’s achievements in poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, and financial inclusion, attributing these successes to collective dedication and determination.

The Prime Minister said that this election of 2024 is to fulfil the dream of a developed and self-reliant India. “Bapu had seen this dream even before independence. Therefore, today when the country is going to take decisive steps in this direction, it needs the special blessings of Wardha,” he said.