Modi Inaugurates Newly Constructed Flats for MPs in New Delhi

New Delhi: Taking a dig at Opposition leaders while inaugurating newly-built multi-storey flats for Members of Parliament in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said some people may link “Kosi”, the name of one of the four towers christened after different rivers, to the coming Bihar Assembly polls, but he will tell such “narrow-minded” people that the tradition of naming towers after rivers ties us together in the thread of the nation’s unity.

The Prime Minister inaugurated 184 newly-constructed Type-VII multi-storey flats for MPs at Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers Manohar Lal and Kiren Rijiju, Lok Sabha House Committee head Mahesh Sharma and several MPs and others were present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Modi said that recently he had inaugurated the Common Central Secretariat (CCS), known as “Kartavya Bhavan”, at Kartavya Path, and now he had the opportunity to inaugurate a newly-constructed residential complex for Members of Parliament.

Highlighting the four towers of the complex -- Krishna, Godavari, Kosi and Hooghly -- named after four great rivers of India, he said that these rivers, which give life to millions, will now inspire a new stream of joy in the lives of public representatives.

Saying that the tradition of naming rivers binds the nation in a thread of unity, Mr Modi said the new complex will enhance the ease of living for MPs in Delhi and availability of government housing for MPs in Delhi will now increase.

“Some people may also have their own concerns -- for example, if the name is ‘Kosi River’, they may not see the river itself but instead view the Bihar elections. To such narrow-minded people, I would still say that the tradition of naming after rivers ties us together in the thread of the nation’s unity. This will increase the ease of living for our MPs in Delhi, and the number of government houses available to MPs here will also go up,” he said.

Mr Modi encouraged collective celebrations of regional festivals within the complex to enhance its cultural vibrancy and suggested inviting constituents to participate in these events, fostering greater public engagement. The PM urged MPs to teach and learn words from each other’s regional languages, promoting linguistic harmony, and said sustainability and cleanliness should be defining features of the complex, and this commitment must be shared by all.

The Prime Minister extended congratulations to all MPs and also commended the engineers and workers involved in the construction of the flats, appreciating their dedication and hard work in completing the project.

Mr Modi told the gathering that he had the opportunity to visit a sample flat from the newly-built residential complex for MPs and has also had occasions to observe the condition of older MP residences.

He remarked that the old accommodations often suffered from neglect and deterioration, highlighting the frequent difficulties faced by MPs due to the poor condition of their residences.

The PM said the new housing will free MPs from such worries upon entering their new homes and emphasised that when MPs are free from personal housing issues, they will be able to devote their time and energy more effectively to resolving public concerns.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by first-time elected MPs in securing housing in Delhi, Mr Modi said the new buildings will help eliminate these difficulties. He said over 180 MPs will reside together in these multi-storey buildings and underscored the significant economic dimension of the new housing initiative.

He said as the country completes new housing for its MPs, it also facilitates home ownership for four crore poor families through the PM Awas Yojana. Mr Modi emphasised that while the nation constructs a new Parliament building, it is also establishing hundreds of new medical colleges. He affirmed that the benefits of these initiatives are reaching every section of society.