Shimla: PM Modi says he considers himself 'Pradhan Sevak' rather than Prime Minister

Addressing a rally in Shimla's Ridge Maidan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that he considers himself a 'Pradhan Sevak' rather than Prime Minister. He also added that the handicrafts made in Himachal Pradesh gained prominence throughout India, even spreading to markets outside the country's borders because of their quality.

Shimla:Addressing a rally in Shimla's Ridge Maidan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that he considers himself a 'Pradhan Sevak' rather than Prime Minister. He also added that the handicrafts made in Himachal Pradesh gained prominence throughout India, even spreading to markets outside the country's borders because of their quality.

The Prime Minister, in this regard, noted that 'pool' (wollen footwear) made in the Kullu region of the state were used extensively in Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath temple by priests and others alike due to its comfort. "Pool made in Kullu comes in handy for priests and security personnel in the temple. As Varanasi MLA, I would like to thank you for this" he said.

Other handicraft articles such as metalwork, including brass plates from Chamba, and miniature paintings from Kangra valley, too, found their places in the Prime Minister's speech. He also marked the occasion, releasing the Rs 21,000 crore worth 11th installment of Kisan Samman Nidhi, and spoke to various beneficiaries of the central schemes.

CM Jai Ram Thakur, Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Himachal Pradesh state minister Suresh Bhardwaj, and others were present on the occasion. The rally was organized to commemorate the completion of eight years of the Modi government.

Modi's tour to the state comes prior to the November 2022 assembly elections. Expectedly, the speech did not end without an election pitch, with Modi claiming the country had seen a steady decline in corruption after 2014. "Be it Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or scholarship or any other scheme, we have eradicated the scope of corruption through direct transfer of benefits. We have transferred over Rs 22 lakh crore to the bank accounts of beneficiaries of various schemes through direct benefit transfer," he stated, adding that it was an 'essential part' of government before 2014. (With Agency Inputs)