Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh: PM accuses Opposition of neglecting farmers, 'shedding crocodile tears'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said “those shedding crocodile tears for farmers today should be asked why did they not see the irrigation projects that were left incomplete throughout the nation during their tenure”. He made the statement at a public meeting in Mirzapur after inaugurating the Bansagar canal project and laying the foundation stone of a medical college in the city in eastern Uttar Pradesh. [caption id=“attachment_4742131” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing an event in Uttar Pradesh . PTI[/caption] Those indulging in politics in the name of farmers had no time to raise the minimum support price (MSP), Modi added. Referring to the  recent hike in MSP by the Centre , the prime minister said the NDA government was working hard to improve conditions for farmers. He added that the government wants to double farmers’ income by 2022, urging them to also take advantage of central schemes. Modi said that since the BJP-led government had taken charge of Uttar Pradesh, development work in Purvanchal had sped up. The prime minister, who is on a two-day tour of the state, also said he had the opportunity to dedicate several development projects to the people in the last two days. Talking about the Bansagar project, Modi said it will help lakhs of farmers by providing water for irrigation. He also launched an attack on previous governments, saying they “used to come up with incomplete projects and stall them”. “You are the people who had to suffer through all of that. Had this project been completed before, you would have benefitted from it two decades ago,” Modi said, adding that at that time, it would have cost only Rs 300 crore against the Rs 3,500 crore spent on it now due to higher input costs. He also said that when the NDA government came to power in 2014, it found projects and schemes that had been stalled. Bansagar was one of them, and it was later brought under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, the prime minister added.

Those who are indulging in politics in the name of farmers had no time to raise the prices of MSP (Minimum Support Price). They sat on files: PM Narendra Modi in Mirzapur pic.twitter.com/vrdd9pQ0Ui

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 15, 2018

Modi said the government is trying to bridge the gap between the rich and poor, and the result will soon be visible for all to see. He also referred to an international report, which said that nearly five crore people in India have come out from abject poverty in the last two years. On healthcare Modi said his government had also resolved to make better and affordable healthcare available to the poorest of poor. Talking about the newly-inaugurated medical college in Mirzapur, he said it will serve people in Sonbhadra, Badoli, Chandoli and Allahabad. “The district hospital will have 500 beds now,” he added. The prime minister said that over 100 Jan Aushadhi Kendras had been inaugurated, and they will help the poor and lower middle-class people. Over 700 medicines will be available at these centres at affordable prices, he added. Talking about how dialysis has become a necessity, the prime minister said they are opening dialysis centres in every district. “Our government visualises a ‘New India’ that takes full care of the sick, the poor, the children, the youth and the farmers,” he said. With inputs from PTI