Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, where he talked at length about his government’s strategy to prioritise the poor in the nation’s battle against coronavirus pandemic. The address took place through video conferencing.
“India gave the first priority to the poor, in its strategy to combat the crisis due to coronavirus. Be it Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana or Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana, we thought about food and employment of the poor from day one itself,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister also claimed that as many as 80 crore Indians got free ration during the pandemic, of which five crore people were from Madhya Pradesh. "Not just wheat, rice or pulses but over 8 crore poor families were even provided free gas cylinders during the lockdown. Over 20 crore women received around ₹30,000 crores directly in their Jan Dhan bank accounts," the Prime Minister stated.
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Describing the coronavirus pandemic as the biggest disaster faced by humanity in the last 100 years, he urged people to continue wearing masks, sanitise their hands, and abide by social distancing measures to check the spread of the virus. He made it a point to ask the beneficiaries he was interacting with about the various government schemes, besides Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, that they have benefitted from.
{{/usCountry}}Describing the coronavirus pandemic as the biggest disaster faced by humanity in the last 100 years, he urged people to continue wearing masks, sanitise their hands, and abide by social distancing measures to check the spread of the virus. He made it a point to ask the beneficiaries he was interacting with about the various government schemes, besides Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, that they have benefitted from.
{{/usCountry}}PM Modi also reiterated his call for ‘vocal for local’ initiative with a special focus on Khadi, and urged Indians to buy handicraft items during the festive seasons to encourage the craftsmen working in this sector. “Khadi, which was once forgotten, has become a new brand today. Now that we are going on a new journey towards 100 years of independence, we have to strengthen that spirit of Khadi for independence. For a self-reliant India, we have to be vocal for the local,” the Prime Minister said.
He also praised Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his efforts at tackling the flood situation in the state, and added that all necessary help has been provided to the state government to help them tackle the floods. "Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his entire team are going to the spots and carrying out rescue and relief operations. Be it NDRF, Central forces, or Air Force, all facilities are being provided to the State government for help in this situation," he said during the interaction.