Shri Narendra Modi's speech during allotment of 8076 Houses for the Urban Poor

Ahmedabad

Sitting on the dais, my fellow Cabinet Ministers, Urban Development Minister of the State Shri Nitinbhai Patel, The popular MP of this constituency Shri Harinbhai Pathak, Chairman of the AUDA Shri Dharmendrabhai Shah, Karnavati’s Mayor Shri Hasitbhai Vora, Chairman of Gandhinagar’s GUDA Shri Ashokbhai Bhavsar, Former MLA Shri Jitubhai Waghela, the always running MLA Shri Babubhai BJP, Ahmedabad City BJP President and MLA of Ellisbridge Shri Rakeshbhai Shah, Rakhial MLA Shri Vallabhbhai, All the leaders of Taluka Panchayat, District Panchayat and the Municipal Corporation present here and dear Citizen Brothers & Sisters who have come in large numbers…

For whom is the Government? The Government is for the poor, it is for the helpless. Gentlemen, when a businessman falls sick, does he face any problem in getting the treatment done by a doctor? Not at all, call one and 50 are present. But what about the poor? The Government has to worry about the poor and build hospitals and has to make sure that the treatment of the poor is done at a concessional rate. If a rich boy wants to study, does he face any problem? He can call 15 teachers at his home. But what if a poor child wants to study? The Government has to construct schools, pay the teachers, provide the uniforms and do all the arrangements because education of the poor is necessary and this responsibility is of the Government. The same way in this age, if a rich or a middle class person wants to build home, they may make it from his savings, but poor can’t even buy 2 feet space because he does not have that much capacity. So the Government has to build houses for the poor, though it causes a burden of crores of rupees. If a poor gets a good house, he can start a new life and hence the Government has started a campaign to provide houses for the poor. You will be happy to know Gentlemen, that the way eight thousand houses are ready today, one lac more houses will be ready at the cost of 1700 crores, one lac houses! And in the coming days, in the urban areas like Surat and Ahmedabad, the Government has undertaken the task of building many houses for those who have to spend their lives in huts under the scheme “A house for a Hut“. Lacs of houses are going to be built for the poor in this state. Congress ruled for 40 years in Gujarat. This Government is going to provide more houses than might have provided in these 40 years. When a poor gets a house, his lifestyle changes too. When a person brings something in his house, he develops the habit of preserving it. As now he is spending his life in a hut, living in a jerry house then he feels that why to spend on this? He doesn’t even spend on a doormat. But if gets such a house, he starts thinking of saving some money to buy a doormat the next month. Next month he will decide to save some more money for a mate because it doesn’t’ look good when guest comes. Then he realizes that I should not waste money as now children are growing up so I should buy a TV. Once he gets a house, he starts saving to improve his living standard. If there is shortage of money he starts working hard and gradually tries to reach to the level of others. Poor’s house often becomes a weapon in his fight against the poverty. Once a person starts living with self respect then he wishes to forget the poverty. And I firmly believe that those 8000 family who are getting these houses, should not only take just shelter but also make a resolution to begin a new life and don’t let poverty enter the house now. Go ahead with such determinations.

When we allot these flats, you will be provided the flats with a market value of about 20-25 lacs rupees at a nominal token amount and that too because it brings some responsibility. The Government is giving you so much, if I ask you for something, will you give, Friends? Very few people are responding, will you..? I don’t want what Nitinbhai has said about, I don’t want anything under the table as generally asked for. I want your word. Will you promise? All those who get these houses decide two things in their life. One, we will educate our children. Whatever hurdles may arise, we will not make our children leave their studies. Will you do it..? Will you educate your children..? Especially daughters..? Say loudly..! Secondly, a sin which is becoming uncontrollable in the cities and that is the sin of female feticide. And as the man is becoming modern, this infection is increasing. As soon as they come to know that it is a female child, they get the abortion done. Ladies & Gentlemen, I request all those who are going to get the house, take the pledge that they will never commit the sin of getting the female fetus aborted, they will not kill the daughter in her mother’s womb, they will let their daughter to be born on this earth. Gentlemen, if you won’t allow ‘Lakshmi’ (daughter) to take birth, ‘Lakshmiji’ (Goddess of Wealth) will never come to your house, we will never get happiness and therefore at the time of getting this house, develop the feeling in your mind that now you don’t want to live your life depending on others. We have to start our new life with the pledge that there will not be any hurdle in the education and progress of our children. We should take the decision of stepping in this house with such resolution.

In the contract of these houses, our AUDA’s friends have made a good provision. The provision is that when the Government takes possession, they will have to hand over the houses according to all the specifications. The Government is not going to accept if there is any single broken door or a window. He will be told that wait, this is not proper, complete it than only we will take it and you are going to get such quality house. Because often some problems might have arisen in the first building while the construction of last building was in progress… But this contract has a provision that the contractor has to hand over all the houses properly constructed. Due to this reason, the beneficiaries will get the houses constructed completely as per the rules and specifications. The Government has already made such arrangement. These houses have been built at different places. Some are here, others are in the eastern area, and few are also in the west zone. Now at the time of draw, you can’t know where you will get the house. You may be staying in Thaltej and may get the house here in Singarva then you will face difficulties. So I have suggested to AUDA that if these poor families want to interchange flats with one another, there should not be any problem, please get it exchanged internally. But to find out the person for exchange will be your responsibility. The Government will not go to find him. You have to hunt out that this man is in Thaltej and wants to go to Singarva, so you better go to Singarva and I am going to Thaltej. Second provision is for the convenience of nearly 200 handicapped families. If there is a handicapped member in the family, he faces a lot of inconvenience while going up and down the stairs… I have requested AUDA friends that let us not add to the suffering of those who have already been suffering and allot them ground floor flats. We have tried to pursue this whole project with the social and sympathetic aspects. Ladies & Gentlemen, previously when the houses that were built in the villages… be it Indira Awaas, Sardar Awaas, Ambedkar Awaas or many other such schemes… But what used to happen? One house would be built of one piece of land in one corner of the village, in another corner second house would be built and the third one at yet another place, they don’t feel that something is made. This Government made a basic consideration. We made a list of poor people requiring houses and under which scheme they may be benefitted. And whether by keeping aside a piece of land, can we build all the houses together, like a colony? So then the Government would provide road, drainage, electricity, etc. The Government may also provide Anganwadi and some place for shop if there are more number of houses. The scenario has been changed as compared to the past when the houses were scattered. In this Golden Jubilee year, we have undertaken the construction of colonies as a Golden Service. In Ahmedabad and Mehsana districts the construction work has been done and the work is progressing fast in every district. The Government has brought about such a basic change so that the poor get house with basic facilities. Though this has caused a very heavy economic burden on the Government, when there will be colonies, they will get a better opportunity to live life. In villages often the houses are built on a useless piece of land, full of pits and during the monsoon these house of the poor are flooded with water. We instructed them to construct these houses on the upper level areas so that during the rain, at least they don’t have to suffer. With such types of suggestions, this Government always worries about the betterment of the poor.

Ladies & Gentlemen, this Government is with the poor at every stage of life since the time of birth to the death. It works for the poor even since before birth. I stress upon that this Government provides expenditure of delivery to the expecting mother of an un-affording family. Not only this, it pays Rs.200 per day to her and also to her husband during 2-3 days of her hospital stay. In addition to this, it also pays auto or tractor fare to this poor woman for going from her home to the hospital. The Government starts spending since the child is in the mother’s womb. The Government has appointed doctors to take care of your children’s birth. The Government looks after your child till 6 moths and ensures that it does not die and it remains healthy. The Government arranges door to door polio vaccination campaign every three months so that your child does not suffer from polio and does not become handicap. The Government runs Anganwadi, free of charge, so that when your children grow, they can start playing, singing songs, can start recognizing toys and start knowing various things. Your younger children can get better nourishment that is why the Government gives FREE water soluble powder hence they can get required nutrition. When they grow little more, the family gets FREE hamper of nutritious edibles from the Government. The Government is concerned about your children's health. When your child grows further and ready to go to school, the Government gives free education. The Government spends for the teachers, for books, and provides free uniforms. The Government also provides free hostel facility for needy students. Even free concession passes are provided to girls if they have to travel in bus for the school. The Government thinks all these only because children of the poor can study. Your child studies and wishes to go to the college, the Government provides college education, without having to spend even a single rupee, to the poor children. If your child wants to become an advocate or a doctor, the Government spends on it also. After becoming an advocate, if he wishes to open an office or to become a notary or to become a doctor, the Government gives lacs of rupees in his hand so that he can manage his life. If any poor child feels like flying an aero-plane, becoming a pilot and desires to study abroad, then the Government gives money to study abroad. The Government also worries about your employment, worries to make you financially self sufficient. If the poor people do not have home, the Government gives it to them. The Government provides 2-3 kg grains at concessional rates so they can get cheap grains and can cook. Not only this, if any family having an extremely poor condition then the Government provides expense for the cremation also.

Under the ‘Garib Kalyan Mela’, this Government is giving Rs. 5000-7000 crores directly in the hands of poor people without any corruption. The Government worries for poor widow. The pension is sent to her place with due respect so that she can live her life respectfully. If she wants to learn either sewing work or embroidery work, the Government trains her. The Government gives her sewing machine, if she needs. Poor widow can live with self reliance is the concern of the Government. If poor person reaches to the age of 60 years and question of what to eat in the evening having no livelihood, then the Government sends his pension directly at home so that he has not to extend his hand for the purpose. Thus the Government works day and night through out (birth to death) for the poor.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Gujarat has started fight against poverty. Friends, we have to remove poverty from Gujarat. The Government has initiated the efforts to float the spring of growth so that each and every person lives with honour and pass the life happily. But unfortunately some discontented errant people do not wish to see the growth of Gujarat. Their bread can be cooked only if the people remain illiterate, therefore they do not have interest in education and do not wish to have welfare of poor people, so they can use them to fill their ballot boxes. Ladies & Gentlemen, that is only reason I ask, if you wish the real development, then we will have to become partners in the development. ”Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Everybody’s Development with Everybody’s Co-operation), with this Mantra we have come forward and is necessary to make full effort to make it significant and we will make it.

Just think, this Government has planned three such schemes for the urban poor. Rs.2000 crores worth package is allotted for the uplift of the urban poor. A scheme called ‘Ummid’ is planned. Those urban poor children who have left their studies after 5^th - 6^th standard, who are not interested in the study or no such facility… if seeking employment, they should know something. What if they don’t have any skill? If he wants to distribute newspapers, but does not know bicycle riding… or does not have a bicycle, then what? This Government has started giving training in such small skills under the ‘Ummid’ project. Skill development programs of 3 weeks, 5 weeks. They should be trained in some skill. Ladies & Gentlemen, because of these skills, more than one lac such poor children got employment in the last two years. Formerly they used to get Rs.800 to Rs.1000 in ordinary work, today now they are getting Rs.5000 to Rs.7000 per month because of these skills. This is what we have done by the ‘Ummid’ project.

Similarly, ’Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana’ is started for our tribal people and a special package of Rs.1000 crore is given to them for their development. In the same way fishermen, who sail boats in the sea, our ferrymen who are waiting for the development. The Government has made a special package of Rs.15000 crore for their welfare.

We are worrying for the urban poor, worrying for the poor people living on the sea shores and we also worry for the poor forest dwellers. We have planned for overall development of all these poor people. Nobody should remain behind that is the concern of this Government. This is the reason, my friends, why Gujarat is developing, it is progressing in all the areas today… New factories have now started coming in Gujarat. So many people have got their livelihood. Today, in the family of farmers, if farming is limited and if there are four sons in the family then parents would also think that one son do farming and other three will manage to do some job or a small business. The farmer also wants some job or a shop. What would happen to these sons of the farmer, if Gujarat does not progress? Where they would get their livelihood from?

New companies are coming to Gujarat for car manufacturing now. Five Million cars are likely to be manufactured in Gujarat, Five Million..! 50 lacs cars every year..! Maruti, Peugeot and Ford are coming here, Nano has come, General Motors is also here, Truck and Tractor manufacturers are also coming here, countless… Just think, Five Million Cars..! And Ladies & Gentlemen, our statistics say that making one car, right from the beginning to end up to when it comes on the road, it gives employment to 10 people..! One can imagine now that how many people will get some work. Drivers, Engineers… With 5 lac cars, these car factories have the capacity to feed five crore people. If this car goes to Lucknow, then driver of Lucknow will get his livelihood. If it goes to Chennai, the driver there will get his livelihood. Ladies & Gentlemen, Gujarat is moving towards the development of such an industry... and even today, many times the labours are not available in Gujarat, people do complain for that. Even in agriculture, workers are not easily found. If we ask these builders, they also talk in the same tune that everything is fine, machines are also there but workers are not available. The reason? So many employment opportunities have arisen in Gujarat. Harinbhai Pathak was just telling that the Govt. of India has answered in the Parliament that the highest employment in India, 78% employment, is available in Gujarat only. 78%..! And the whole of India is in the rest 22%. If 100 people are employed, then 78 are in Gujarat and remaining 22 are in rest of the country. You just think, because of these the progress that has occurred in Gujarat, it has become possible for the youth and the poor to get employment.

We are developing Tourism. If the tourism is developed, who will get the employment? Snack seller, Tea kettles, small toy maker, bag maker, Rickshaw drivers, Taxi drivers… a poor person will get his earning if the tourism is developed. We have made great effort for the development of tourism, only because the poor people can get work.

The Government has taken a bid to see that how the maximum job opportunities can be made available to the poor. The Government has also taken up a challenge to give education to the poor. How they can get better health care that is real worry of the Government. If poor person sends his children to the school, then the Government takes his insurance. Gujarat is the only state in India, where from nursery to school and then in the college, for each student, around one and a quarter crore students, the Government has taken insurance for them. If something unforeseen event occurs to student, then his family gets 1-2 lacs for which the premium is paid by the Government. Even the farmers are now started being insured. Formerly, if big industrialist traveling in a car and if he met with an accident then he gets insurance, but if a farmer working in a field and if he does not have insurance and by chance he gets snake bite and dies then nobody is there to ask him or his family. If somebody dies of spurious liquor, he used to get Rs. 2 lacs. The Government used to give money to such people, but not to any farmer if he dies. Friends, our Government has insured the farmers and if a farmer falls into the well and dies or dies due to snake bite, then in such case, this Government has made an arrangement that his family immediately gets Rs. 1 lac.

We are worried about the welfare of the poor. In the past, in case of sudden sickness or may be heart attack, or may be snakebite or any other health problem. Even an auto rickshaw driver used to refuse to come and was first asking for money on seeing a poor. Such was the condition in the past, nobody would come forward. If you call an ambulance, it would go to fill the petrol, by that time the patient would pass away. Ladies & Gentlemen, the Government has started 108 service. Just dial 108 and it does the task of taking a poor family to the hospital without charging a single penny. Today the 108 has become lifeline in Gujarat. What is the reason? This is the Government working only and only for the poor, working for the welfare of the poor and instead of keeping poor as they are, this is the Government that prepares the poor to fight against the poverty and for this reason different endeavors have been undertaken.

The houses that are being allotted today are also a weapon to fight against the poverty. By using this weapon, make two resolutions in your life that you will educate your children and will not commit the sin of feticide. I wish, you go to live in these new houses with great pomp, may you be very happy and never be a burden on the society. I offer my best wishes with a request that whenever you get a chance, repay the society that has given you everything.

Jay Jay Garvi Gujarat..!!