Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the Dorjee Khandu State Convention Centre, in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh on February 15. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu is also seen. (PIB Photo)
ITANAGAR, FEBRUARY 15 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a day-long visit to Arunachal Pradesh and poll-bound Tripura, took a dig at the Congress over what he said was leakage of funds meant for the poor during its rule.
“There is no dearth of funds in our country. But when a bucket carrying water has a hole, it will leak. That was the situation in our country earlier,” Modi told a rally in Itanagar.
Complimenting the state for hosting a vast majority of Hindi-speaking people, Modi said if there was a state in the northeast where Hindi was most widely spoken, it was “my Arunachal”.
The Bharatiya Janata Party formed a government in the state amid a high-voltage political drama in January 2017 after Chief Minister Pema Khandu switched loyalties with 33 legislators.
“If you travel to Arunachal Pradesh for a day, you will hear more Jai Hind than you will hear after travelling the entire country for a week,” said Modi.
He also inaugurated a convention centre in Itanagar and said the “vibrant centre will further the aspirations of Arunachal Pradesh”.
“There will be conferences and cultural activities that will draw government officials and private companies. I am personally going to tell people - go to Arunachal Pradesh and hold your important meetings at the centre,” he said, asking why such meetings should be held in Delhi alone.
“We must go to all states and that is why I came to Shillong for a northeastern council meeting and an important meeting related to agriculture was held in Sikkim.”
Modi said a lot needed to be done in the health sector not only in the northeast but across the country. He emphasized the need to develop human resource, infrastructure and modern technology in the sector.
“The health sector needs special attention. Healthcare has to be of good quality and it must be affordable. We are working towards building medical colleges in all parts of the country. When one studies in a particular area, one becomes better acquainted with the local health challenges.”
Modi will later travel to Tripura where he is expected to address two rallies ahead of the February 18 Assembly election. The BJP is looking to unseat the Left government in the state.
'CPM govt has ruined Tripura by turning ganatantra into a Gun Tantra’
AGARTALA, FEBRUARY 15 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that CPM government in Tripura had halted the development of the state.
PM Modi addressed two public gatherings on the last day of the campaigning in the state which goes to polls on Sunday. “The arrogance of Left government has become a barrier to development and welfare of people in Tripura,” said the prime minister while addressing a rally at Asthabal Maidan, Agartala.
He also promised the people that once the BJP forms the government in the state, it will implement the seventh pay recommendations like they have been implemented in the other states of the country.
"New BJP government in Tripura will be the youngest in the country. Almost all BJP candidates are young. The state will benefit from exuberance and energy of the youth," said PM Modi.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Dorjee Khandu state convention centre and Civil Secretariat in Itanagar and asked his ministers to hold more meetings in the north-east than in the national capital. In his first visit to Arunachal Pradesh post the Doklam standoff with China last year, Modi said in a departure from the past, more ministers and officials from the Centre were visiting the north-east regularly.
