Agencies / Gurdaspur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today criticized the Congress for duping farmers in the name of loans waiver. Addressing a public meeting at Gurdaspur in Punjab, Mr Modi said, in the past, the Congress duped people with Garibi Hatao slogan and now in the name of waiving loan.
Mr Modi said, the NDA government is working for the welfare of farmers and it has considerably increased Minimum Support Price (MSP) of around 12 crops. He said Agriculture Export Policy has also benefited farmers. He also mentioned farmers welfare schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.
Attacking the Congress on 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Prime Minister said, the party is awarding those involved in the riots with chief minister’s post. He said, on one family’s direction, the files of those involved in the riots were put under wraps, but the NDA dug out these and set up a SIT and results are before all.
He said the NDA government took a historic decision to build the Kartarpur Corridor, which will link Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak Dev.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the 106th session of the Indian Science Congress near Jalandhar.
Reflecting on the theme of the event this year, that is ‘Future India: Science and Technology’, the Prime Minister said, country’s true strength will be in connecting its science, technology and innovation, with its people.
Mr Modi said, former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri gave the slogan: “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” while Atal Bihari Vajpayee added “Jai Vigyan” to it. He said, now the time has come to take a step further, by adding “Jai Anusandhan.”
The Prime Minister said, the Government launched the Atal Innovation Mission to promote innovation among our scientists. He said, more technology business incubators have been established in the last four years.
Mr Modi urged the scientists to work towards ease of living for the people. He called for time-bound solutions through research, in areas such as drought management, early disaster warning systems, malnutrition and cybersecurity.