The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today declared that providing electricity to everyone across the country is the topmost priority of his Government. He was addressing a gathering after dedicating to the nation the 1000 MW Mouda Super Thermal Power Project Stage-1.
He said that for any country to progress, priority has to be given to infrastructure. If we can deliver durable infrastructure, possibilities of development increase, he added, stating that even among all kinds of infrastructure, power is most important, as it is a crucial element in bringing about change in the quality of life of the people.
The Prime Minister said that even so many years after independence, power had not reached every nook and corner of the country, and in many areas there were acute power shortages. But he reiterated his Government's resolve to provide power to all. The Prime Minister mentioned the stress he had laid on hydropower during his recent visits to Bhutan and Nepal, as well as to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He said the aim of the Government was to tap all sources of energy, with emphasis on clean energy, especially solar energy.
The Prime Minister recalled the plight of debt-ridden farmers in Vidarbha, who were forced to commit suicide. He said, if they had access to electricity, they could have pumped the water necessary to irrigate their fields, saved their crop, and hence avoided falling into debt.
The Prime Minister announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana on August 28th, and appealed to the farmers to avail of the benefits of the scheme, which included a bank account, a debit card, and an insurance amount of Rs. One lakh. He also spoke of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, which aimed at providing sufficient water to the farmer for irrigation.
The Governor of Maharashtra Shri K. Sankaranarayanan, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari, and MoS(I/c) for Power Shri Piyush Goyal were present on the occasion.
