Varanasi: Will bring change in 50 months, says PM Modi

“Main hairan hun. Jinhone khate nahin khole kabhi, woj aaj mera hisaab maang rahe hain,” Modi said.(I am surprised that those who never opened accounts, they are questioning my government’s performance.)

Watch Video: PM Modi at a function organized by Rickshaw Sangh in Varanasi

Without quoting name of any political party, Modi said that those who had not cared to open bank accounts of poor, are now showing concern for operation of newly opened bank accounts. “It had been better if you had opened bank accounts of poor 40 -50 years back. Then you had not to question me today about operation of these accounts and the bank accounts of poor across the country would have been operational today,” Modi said.

How to make the poor of India self-reliant, that must be our focus: PM @narendramodi speaks in Varanasi https://t.co/IEmqVENCQP

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 18, 2015

Modi said that more than 18 crore bank accounts have been opened under PM Jan Dhan Yojana and poor account holders have deposited around Rs 30,000 crore in banks. PM said that poor were developing habit to save money.

Modi was on one day-visit to his Lok Sabha constituency where in the first event he distributed paddle rickshaws, e-rickshaws, push carts and Rupay Card to several beneficiaries at multipurpose ground in Cantonment area.

Addressing the gathering of beneficiaries, Modi said that Central government was promoting skill development to make poor self dependent. PM said that he had been listening about slogan of ‘garibi hatao’ (eradicate poverty) from past 50 years. PM said that speeches promising welfare of poor are listened during elections. Modi said that speaking about poverty throughout the day has become a tradition in politics. Modi said that there was need to come out of that tradition and take steps for making people free from poverty.

Education is the best (and even the least expensive) way to fight poverty: PM @narendramodihttps://t.co/IEmqVENCQP — PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 18, 2015

“Experiments done so far in this direction have not given desired results and change has not come in life of poor. I do not want to blame any government or political party for that. But focus should be on certain basic facts while taking any step in direction of doing something good for poor,” Modi said,while addressing gathering. There were large number of rickshaw pullers in the gathering who belong to Assembly poll-bound neighbouring state Bihar.

Modi said that skill development can increase earnings of poor and give them respectable life.

Focusing upon his constituency, Modi also said that tourists who reach Varanasi from across the world get first introduction about ‘Kashi’ (Varanasi), tourism of Kashi and about people of Kashi, from rickshaw pullers and through their behavior. Hence, special rickshaws have been arranged for tourists and rickshaw pullers have been trained to ride safely in narrow lanes and tell tourists about Kashi like a guide.

Modi also interacted with some beneficiaries and asked about their literacy and asked if their children were getting education. “I request you all to ensure education for your children despite all problems. If you have to express unhappiness with me, you have right to do that. But do not deny education to your children because that is the best tool to fight against poverty,” Modi said.

In the gathering, maximum were rickshaw pullers and a larger number of them either belonged to Assembly poll-bound Bihar of they have relatives. They come to Varanasi several years back to paddle rickshaws and earn money from tourists.

Modi later held a meeting of BJP workers of Varanasi. Later, he is scheduled to address a ‘vikas jan sabha’ at DLW ground where he will also launch various development projects.