Guwahati (Assam): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at Congress saying the grand old party, which was in power after Independence, was ashamed of its own culture.
The Prime Minister on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several projects worth Rs 11,600 crore in Assam. He then addressed the people of Assam in Assamese at a public meeting in Khanapara, here.
PM Modi arrived here on Saturday for a two-day visit and addressed a huge public meeting at Khanapara ground on Sunday. "Today again with the blessings of Maa Kamakhya, I am fortunate to offer these projects to the people of Assam," the Prime Minister said.
"These projects will further strengthen the connectivity of the North East including Assam with South East Asia. The tourism sector will be developed and employment will be created," added the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister was impressed by the welcome he received from the people of Guwahati on Saturday evening and said the love and affection would give him strength.
After visiting several pilgrimage sites in the country, the Prime Minister said he has now come to the holy land of 'Maa Kamakhya'. The foundation stone of the 'Divyaloka Project' at 'Maa Kamakhya was laid on Sunday by the Prime Minister.
According to the PM, the country's pilgrimage sites are not just places of pilgrimage but these pilgrimage sites are the nectar of thousands of years of Indian civilization.
Referring to Congress, the Prime Minister said the party in power for a long time after independence did not understand the importance of the country's pilgrimage sites and the country can never develop without preserving its roots. "The BJP's double-engine government has taken initiatives in this regard and focused on its development. The BJP government has paid special attention to the development of the North East and everyone is aware of the environment ten years ago. The flow of tourists is increasing in the North East including in the state of Assam," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
"Tourists did not come here (to the North East) in the past due to lack of facilities in various fields. The Railway and air services were limited. The road conditions were so poor that it took a long time to travel from one district to another," PM Modi added.
"The BJP's double-engine government has changed the situation. Development expenditure has been quadrupled in the last ten years. After 2014, 1,900 km of new railway tracks were constructed. Similarly, 6,000 km of new national highways have been constructed in ten years," the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister further said that the 'Modi Guarantee' will never go in vain. "200 million people in the country have benefited from the 'Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra'. My government aims to make every Indian's life happy and this year's Budget has decided to spend Rs 1.11 lakh crore on infrastructure," the PM added.
"Before 2014, the total infrastructure budget was Rs 1.2 lakh crore in the ten years. Almost the same amount of budget has been taken for one year. Funds will be spent on large-scale construction works in the country, which will boost the industrial sector and increase employment.
"The government will help to provide solar rooftops to 10 million households in the country. This will provide free electricity and allow the owner to sell additional solar energy," he added.
The PM said 10 million women have become millionaires so far. "This year's (interim) budget sets a target of making 30 million women millionaires against the target of 20 million," he added.
The Prime Minister said the people of the North East have full faith and confidence in the "Modi guarantee". "The North East, including Assam, was once unsettled and 10 peace agreements have been signed in the past. Thousands of young people have abandoned the path of violence and returned to the mainstream. The Special Powers of the Armed Forces Act has been lifted from various areas," the PM noted.
"Initiatives have also been taken to resolve border disputes between the states. The country was not able to move forward on the path of progress due to such mentality of the previous government," he added.
Referring to the 'Modi Guarantee' to realise the dreams of the youth of the North East, the PM said the happiness of Indians is the main objective of his government. Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister Rameshwar Teli and several MPs and MLAs were present for the public meeting.
Before addressing the huge public meeting at Khanapara ground, the Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the four-lane NH from Bishwanath Chariali to Gohpur (Rs 1,451 crore) and the four-lane NH from Dolabari to Jamuguri (Rs 592 crore).
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Rs 498 crore Maa Kamakhya Corridor, Rs 358 crore six-lane road connecting Gopinath Bordoloi Airport, 43 roads in Assam (Rs 3,444 crore), the new building of Guwahati Medical College Hospital (Rs 3,250 crore), Karimganj Medical College (Rs 578 crore), renovated Nehru Stadium (Rs 832 crore), a national standard stadium at Chandrapur (Rs 300 crore).
- " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">
