Power production essential for any country to develop rapidly in 21st century: PM Modi in Banswara

Banswara (Rajasthan), Sep 25 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the erstwhile Congress government of ignoring the importance of electricity, saying that increasing power production is necessary for any country to develop rapidly in the 21st century.

"Before 2014, there were 2.5 crore households in India that did not have electricity connection. Even after 70 years of Independence, electricity poles had not even been installed in 18,000 villages across the country. The Congress government did not pay any attention to the importance of electricity," Modi said while addressing a public meeting in this Rajasthan district on Thursday.

"Any country that aims to develop rapidly in the 21st century must increase its electricity production. The most successful countries will be those that lead in clean energy," the prime minister said.

The BJP government at the Centre is advancing the clean energy campaign by turning it into a people's movement, he said.

The prime minister on Thursday laid the foundation for and inaugurated several projects in the fields of renewable energy, water supply, power, road and infrastructure worth Rs 1,22,100 crore during the event in Banswara.

Among the most significant is the Mahi-Banswara nuclear power project, a 2,800 MW facility to be built at a cost of Rs 42,000 crore in Banswara.

Talking about tax reforms, Modi said 11 years ago, the Congress government was engaged in exploiting and looting the people of the country.

"In the Congress era, both taxes and inflation were sky-high. There was loot everywhere whereas under the BJP, it is more about savings. The government put an end to Congress' loot after people blessed Modi," the prime minister said.

Modi also urged people to adopt 'Swadesh' in their buying-selling culture to make India self-reliant.

"We have another goal -- Aatmanirbhar Bharat. It is essential that we do not remain dependent on anyone else. The path to this goes through the mantra of Swadeshi, which we should never forget," he said.

"I would urge all of you, especially the shopkeepers of the country, that whatever we sell should be indigenous. I would also urge my fellow citizens that whatever you buy should also be Swadeshi," Modi added.

The Prime Minister also hit out at the previous Congress government in Rajasthan, saying the state became a hub of paper leak during its rule, when atrocities against women were at their peak.

"Under the Congress, Rajasthan became the hub of paper leaks, the Jal Jeevan Mission was sacrificed due to corruption, atrocities against women were at their peak, and rapists were protected," he said.

After the BJP was voted to power, it strengthened law and order and accelerated development projects in the state, he added.

Today, the BJP government is moving Rajasthan forward on the path of rapid development, Modi said. PTI AG SDA ARI