Previous governments were not serious about poverty alleviation: PM Modi
Shirdi (Maharashtra), Oct 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday targeted the previous Congress-led governments, saying they were "not serious" about poverty alleviation and their sole objective was to promote the "name of a particular family".
Addressing a gathering here after launching several public welfare works, Modi sought to highlight the difference between his government and the previous governments and said the current dispensation was "working faster" on development and welfare projects.
Noting that Maharashtra has produced several reformers who ensured social harmony, Modi also called for defeating forces which divide communities for their political interests.
"In the last four years, the government has made serious efforts to provide proper houses to the poor living in shanties.
"Efforts were made in the past too. But unfortunately, their sole objective was to promote the name of a particular family, instead of empowering the poor by giving them shelter. Their aim was to create a vote-bank," he said, in an apparent reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
"Our target is to ensure that there is not a single homeless person in India by 2022, when the country celebrates its 75th years of Independence. We are making serious efforts for the uplift of the poor," he said.
The objective of the present government, Modi said, is only welfare of the poor. "Because of this, the poverty alleviation works have expedited," he added.
Modi observed that the previous regime built only 25 lakh houses for the poor in its last four years of rule, while his government has constructed 1.25 crore houses in the same time span.
"It would have taken 20 years to construct 1.25 crore houses, had the previous government been still in power," he said.
Modi also talked about the Centre's Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme and assured assistance to Maharashtra government in view of the water shortage caused by deficient rainfall.
Before his address, Modi performed puja at the Saibaba temple. He also participated in an event marking the conclusion of the year-long Saibaba Samadhi centenary programme organised by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust. He also issued a silver coin in the name of Saibaba.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
