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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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
