The Garib Kalyan Sammelan conceptualises elected public representatives across the country directly interacting with the public to get feedback about the various welfare programmes being run by the government.
Shimla: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the ‘Garib Kalyan Sammelan’ in Shima, Himachal Pradesh. The public programme marking the completion of eight years of the government led by the Prime Minister is being organised across the country at the state capitals, district headquarters and krishi vigyan kendras. The Sammelan conceptualises elected public representatives across the country directly interacting with the public to get feedback about the various welfare programmes being run by the government.
The Prime Minister also released the 11th installment of financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. This will enable the transfer of an amount of around Rs 21,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families. Modi also interacted with the beneficiaries of (PM-KISAN) across the country. Governor of Himachal Pradesh Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur and Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur were among those present on the occasion in Shimla.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Himachal Pradesh comes months ahead of the scheduled election in the state. The tenure of the current government is coming to an end in November.
Interacting with the beneficiary from Ladakh, Tashi Tundup, the Prime Minister talked about the arrival of tourists in Ladakh and his experience with the government schemes. The Prime Minister praised his services as an Army man. Tundup said that he did not face any problem in availing the benefits of schemes like PMAY, toilets, gas connections and farming-related benefits.
Lalita Devi from Bihar is a beneficiary of PMAY, Ujjwala, Swachh Bharat and Jal Jeevan Mission. She informed the PM how schemes led to her ease of living and dignified life. The Prime Minister said that with a house many things like education and marriage of the children will fall in place.
Addressing the gathering, Modi expressed his happiness to be present in Himachal Pradesh on the occasion. He congratulated and wished the farmers as more than 10 crore farmers received the money in their bank accounts through the PM Kisan scheme. He expressed satisfaction that he released benefits under the PM-CARES for Children Scheme on the occasion of the completion of 8 years of the government. He expressed happiness for releasing the financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme nationwide from Shimla. He thanked the people for giving him the opportunity to serve 130 crore citizens.
“I am no longer the Prime Minister and have become the member of your family and Pradhan Sevak of the 130 crore countrymen. If I am able to do anything for the country, it is only because of the blessings and good wishes of the 130 crore countrymen,” Modi said.
He added, “Getting connected with the hopes and aspirations of my family of 130 crore citizens, this family is all I have, you people are everything in my life and this life too is for you.”
The Prime Minister lamented that before 2014, the earlier government “had considered corruption as an essential part of the system, then instead of fighting corruption, the government had succumbed to it, then the country was watching that the money for schemes was looted before reaching the needy”.
He added, “Today due to the trinity of Jan Dhan-Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM), the money is reaching the beneficiary directly in their Jan Dhan bank accounts. Earlier there was a compulsion to suffer smoke in the kitchen, today there is a facility to get LPG cylinders from the Ujjwala scheme. Earlier there was the shame of open defecation now poor have the dignity of toilets. Earlier there was helplessness to raise money for treatment, today every poor has the support of Ayushman Bharat. Earlier there was a fear of triple talaq, now there is the courage to fight for one’s rights.”
Noting the contribution of every family of Himachal Pradesh to the armed forces, the Prime Minister said it is this government that implemented ‘One Rank One Pension’ after waiting for four decades and gave arrears to the ex-servicemen. Every family of Himachal has benefited a lot. “Vote bank politics has happened in our country for decades and has done a lot of damage to the country. We are working to build a new India, not a vote bank,” Modi said.
Commenting on the growing stature of the country, the Prime Minister said, “Today, India does not extend a hand of friendship in compulsion but extends a helping hand. Even during the Corona period, we have sent medicines, and vaccines to more than 150 countries.”
The Prime Minister stressed the need to work for the bright future of the coming generations, for the bright India of the 21st century. An India whose identity is not deprivation but modernity. No goal is impossible in front of our capability. He added that today India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Record foreign investment is happening in India today, today India is also creating records in exports. “All should come forward and play our part in the journey of progress of our country,” he concluded.
