Watch video: PM Narendra Modi holds rally in Himachal to mark 8 years of NDA govt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Shimla today where he received a warm welcome as people showered flower petals on his cavalcade, which was on its way to Ridge Maidan.

Modi was holding the rally in Shimla in order to mark 8 years of the BJP-led government.

Modi stated that he always believes that he is a “sevak” of the people of the country rather than a prime minister of a country. He also interacted with the beneficiaries of various government schemes at the ‘Garib Kalyan Sammelan’ as part of the events organised to commemorate the completion of eight years of his government.

The Chief Ministers of all the states were virtually connected for this programme.

Taking a jibe at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government that was in power at the centre before the BJP, PM Modi said the government before 2014 considered 'corruption as an essential part of the system'. It had succumbed to corruption instead of fighting it, he said.

"The country was watching that the money of the schemes was looted before reaching the needy," he said, adding, "Before 2014, the headlines in newspapers were dominated by cases of scam, corruption...the time has changed now."

Drawing a contrast between government schemes during his tenure and times before 2014, Modi said, “(Earlier) talks used to be about schemes that never found its way. Nepotism and scams were rampant. However, today, talks are about benefits from govt schemes... Today India's start-ups are being talked about globally. Even the World Bank talks about India's Ease of Doing Business policies.”

Modi last visited Himachal Pradesh on December 27 to address a rally at the Paddal ground in chief minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district of Mandi. That was to mark the fourth anniversary of the BJP government in the state.