Farmers Are Vote Bank For Congress, Food Providers For Us: PM Modi In Jharkhand

Taking a dig at previous governments, Narendra Modi said they were least bothered about farmers' welfare in Jharkhand, and the delay in completing the Mandal dam project was proof of that.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 5 January 2019 4:59 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation of several irrigation projects in Jharkhand, including Rs 2,391.36 crore Mandal dam, that will provide irrigation to 19,604-hectare area in Palamu and Garhwa districts.

“Farmers are a vote bank for the Congress but for us, farmers are our food providers. This is the difference between the Congress and the BJP,” the prime minister said.

Prior to addressing a public rally in Jharkhand, Modi also handed over keys of houses to five beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Palamu, Jharkhand: We didn't make Narendra Modi Awas Yojana, we didn't make Namo Awas Yojana, we didn't make Raghubar Das Awas Yojana, we made Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana so that the next PM can take the work forward. pic.twitter.com/BSZTLSAnuh
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2019

The Mandal dam, work on which began in 1972, but was stalled since 1993, will be built on the North Koel river in Barwadih block of Latehar district.

Taking a dig at previous governments, Modi said they were least bothered about farmers' welfare in Jharkhand, and the delay in completing the Mandal dam project was proof of that.

"We consider farmers as 'annadata' (provider of food), unlike the previous governments who considered them as mere vote bank," the prime minister said.

PTI