Chhattisgarh Polls: Centre to extend free ration scheme for next five years, says PM Modi

The central government will extend the free ration scheme by 5 more years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, adding that 80 crore people will benefit from the move. Addressing a rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, PM Modi also took a swipe at the Congress, saying that the party indulge in prioritising financial gains and frequently engaging in corrupt activities. PM Modi also accused the Congress party of verbally attacking him and the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. He said that the Congress government in the state has not spared any chance to loot people. “Congress government in Chhattisgarh has not spared any chance to loot you. They have not even spared the name of ‘Mahadev’. Just two days ago, a major action was taken (by the Enforcement Directorate) in Raipur and a huge pile of cash was recovered. People are saying that this is the money belonging to ‘sattebaj’ (those involved in betting) and they have collected it by looting the poor and youth of Chhattisgarh. Congress leaders have been filling their houses with the same money,” he said. With PTI inputs.