New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded Indian Army’s surgical strikes comparing it with Israel’s exploits and said the Indian Army was no less than any other force in the world. While addressing his ‘Parivartan’ rally in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Mr Modi said Army’s acts of valour were being noticed throughout the world these days. Earlier one used to talk about Israel Army’s actions, but now it was evident to all that Indian Army was no less a force, he said. Mr Modi said he had promised the retired and serving personnel of Army to solve their 40-year old demand of “one rank one pension”. The succeeding Congress governments had been evading the issue, he added. “On becoming the Prime Minister, I earnestly tried to solve their demand which is apparently genuine.
I felt it will be a matter of Rs 400 or 500 crore, but I was surprised to learn that the financial implication was to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore. However, they accepted my request of meeting their demand in 4 installments and happily government has released it,” Mr Modi said. The Prime Minister inaugurated Koldam Hydro project, Parbati Hydel Project and Rampur Hydro Project by pressing the button from the Padal Stadium . Mr Modi said besides harnessing the potential of hydel power, the Central government had drawn up an ambitious plan to harness the solar energy all over the country and many big players from public and private sector had come forward.
The Prime Minister said distribution of LED bulbs to over 10 lakh families of Mandi, covering a population of 70 lakh had gone a long way, resulting in a daily saving of Rs 95 lakh to the people in addition to checking environmental degradation. The annual savings would be Rs 350 crore, he added. He announced every rural household would be provided LPG connection within three years at an investment of Rs 350 crore to provide much needed relief to the poor woman of rural India. The Prime Minister was thrilled to see that women outnumbered men in the sprawling Padal stadium and congratulated them for their great contribution in achieving the first place in India in the nation-wide Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to Mandi district among the 22 hill states of the country.
Responding to the remarks of former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, he said the huge financial assistance was being given by the Centre, the ailing state government was not utilising the funds for the development. The funds were either being misused or lapsing. “Extravagance and rehabilitation of defeated supporters of Virbhadra Singh and retired faithful bureaucrats, was the rule of the day in the backward hill state now on the brink of bankruptcy,” Mr Modi said Both the people of the state and the Central government would take account of all the misdeeds of the present Congress government, he said. (UNI)
