Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the culture of promising freebies during elections is dangerous for the nation, adding that such promises hamper the development of the country and put an additional burden on state coffers.
While inaugurating the Bundelkhand Expressway in Jalaun district of Uttar Pradesh today, PM Modi lashed out at those giving freebies and making such promises during elections. He appealed to people and especially the youth to reject such parties who give freebies.
While addressing people on this occasion he said, "Revdi baantne wale kabhi vikas nahi karenge. Woh expressway, airport, defense corridor nahi banayenge (Those giving freebies would not work for development. They would never construct expressways, airports or defense corridor)".
PM Modi said that these people think they would buy votes by giving freebies but for the sake of development, this culture must go. He said that the double engine government never promise such things and instead works for development.
Terming Bundelkhand Express as the epicentre of development for this backward region, PM Modi said that industries would come on both sides of it. These include warehouses, food processing industries and cold stores. Besides the proximity to the defense corridor would help additionally.
While dedicating the 296-km-long expressway stretched between Chitrakoot to Etawah, Modi said that when he came to UP eight years back to contest the election, the main problem here was connectivity and lawlessness. Now, there has been significant improvement in both due to UP CM Yogi Adityanath, he added.
He said that the aim of his government is to provide best transportation facilities to those living in small towns also. Citing examples of Bundelkhand, Purvanchal, Ganga and Gorakhpur link expressways, he said that many small districts are connected with these projects and are getting benefit of good connectivity. He advised the UP CM to develop a special tourist circuit in Bundelkhand in which people could see the famous forts here. He said that Yogi Government and Centre have been working hard to remove the problem of water scarcity in Bundelkhand. A special project to provide tap water has been launched here and pending irrigation projects have been completed.
Speaking on the occasion, UP CM Yogi said that to maintain greenery in Bundelkhand, seven lakh trees would be planted on both sides of this expressway. He said that this expressway would not only improve the connectivity but also conserve the environment. The Industrial Development Minister of UP, Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi said that Bundelkhand Expressway has been completed eight months before time and Rs 1,125 crores have been saved this way. He said that the cost of Bundelkhand Expressway is around Rs 14,850 crore and it has been completed in 28 months only.
