BJP's PM candidate asks why state is poverty-stricken despite possessing abundant resources.
Ranchi: Jharkhand is endowed with rich natural and human resources and yet it has remained poor despite 13 years since the new state came into being, Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
Addressing a public rally here, Modi said if a survey report was submitted to the leading economists of the world, they would certainly say that the state would have been among the most prosperous regions in the world, if the resources were properly utilised.
"Why is Jharkhand is still poor and poverty is growing even if it has rich resources?" Modi wondered and then gave the answer himself: "I would say the party in whose hands the reins were in since Independence should reply." He said that the people of the region had been demanding a separate state for a long time to determine their own destiny, but the "sultanate" in Delhi did not hear and rejected the demand.
"It was former prime minister A B Vajpayee who understood the aspirations and dreams of the people of the region and created the state along with Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh," Modi said. "The new state was created accepting that it will be 'progressive', but why has it not happened in 13 years?" Modi wondered, comparing the state with Chhattisgarh which, he said, had "sped away on the path of development".
He attributed Chhattisgarh's "success" to the people's desire for development and for the BJP. He said the next five years would be crucial for the state. Referring to a sick PSU here, he stated how he had revived Gujarat Fertiliser Corporation which was on the verge of closure by ensuring professionalism and technological upgradation and above all putting a cap on unnecessary expenditure.
Blaming the unbridled price rise on the Central government policies, Modi alleged that "some leaders are saying it is not their responsibility and asked the chief ministers of states to control it". Recalling the chief ministers' meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh three years ago, Modi said that he had been appointed the chairman of a committee in which there were three other chief ministers.
"I gave a draft report suggesting 20 initiatives and other measures to the PM who had appreciated the work. But it is two and a half years since the draft report was submitted and still nothing was done," he said.
Criticising the Congress, Modi said, "Those who are deep in corruption and pose as if they are doing genuine work, I would ask how corruption evolved in Jharkhand in the lap of Congress?" hinting at the series of scams between 2006 to 2008 when the Congress supported the Madhu Koda government from outside. Wondering how coal-rich Jharkhand should fall behind in electricity generation, Modi alleged it was due to the lack of vision on the part of those who ruled since Independence by not setting up power plants near coal-pits.
"Had they set up power plants, Jharkhand would have not only got electricity, but also it would have provided it to other places in the country as well," he said. Congress has become a liability for the country and is in a crisis because it is cut off from the people. They don't hear what people want. It is time to understand that people want development with opportunities, but not political opportunism," Modi said. "It is development mantra with security as priority," he said.
Here are the highlights of his speech:
- Modi asks what has centre done for Jharkhand
- Jharkhand has not developed despite its rich natural resources
- Congress stealing coal from J'Khand: Modi
- BJP will win all 14 seats in next Lok Sabha elections
- UPA reason behind price rise and regress of Jharkhand
- Gujarat CM says Congress cannot be trusted
- Gave solutions for inflation, but nothing has been done
( Source : dc online )
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