Biggest feat of Modi govt is improving quality of life of 60cr poor people: Shah

Ahmedabad, Dec 16 (PTI) Improving the quality of life of 60 crore poor people in the country has been the biggest achievement of the Narendra Modi government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.

Addressing the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' organised at Sanand in Ahmedabad district, Shah also urged everyone to take a pledge to make India a developed country, and strive to realise the dream of those who sacrificed their lives for the country's freedom.

"PM Narendra Modi worked to secure India by carrying out surgical strikes on Pakistan, realised the incomplete dream of abrogation of Article 370, undertook the work of constructing Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya, took India to the Moon through Chandrayaan mission, improved economic parameters to their best since independence, and led to the highest industrial development since independence," Shah said.

"Several times, journalists ask me as to which of Narendra Modi's achievements will get my highest marks. I say this without any controversy, confusion or dilemma that if I have to give the highest marks, then it will be Modi's work to improve the quality of life of 60 crore poor," he said in his address.

These 60 crore poor get their own houses with tap water connection, gas cylinder, toilets, and also get medicines worth up to Rs 5 lakh, undergo operation and hospitalisation for free, and receive 5 kg food grains. There cannot be a bigger work than this, the Union Cooperation Minister said.

Within nine years, the prime minister made sure that the gas cylinder reaches the household of crores of poor women, something that nobody would have imagined, he said.

PM Modi provided houses to more than four crore poor, and made arrangements to supply tap water to every household, Shah said.

"Every village was connected by road, every house was provided with electricity connection and bank account, and arrangements were made that every poor person gets 5 kg food grains per month," he said.

The country's COVID-19 vaccination campaign carried out here was also unprecedented in the world, he said.

"We progressed a lot in many fields in the last 75 years, but those who sacrificed their lives to free the country...dreamed to make India number one in the world. The time has come to realise their dream. When the country completes 100 years of independence...India should be number one and a developed country in the world," Shah said.

Everybody should take a pledge to make India developed where nobody is left without access to clean fuel for household use, toilet, medicines, and food, he said.

"PM Modi has requested us to ensure that every single person gets an Ayushman card, tap water connection, toilet, gas cylinder, 100 per cent coverage of government schemes and a completely satisfied public to make India a developed nation," he said. PTI