Rupee going to the beneficiary: Modi
Ahmedabad, Nov 17: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today claimed that every rupee spent by his administration on the developmental work had been reaching the targetted beneficiary.
Speaking at a function organised by the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) here, Mr Modi said ''I saw to it that in every rupee spent on developmental work all the 100 naye paise reached the target. I had sworn that I will not eat nor would I allow others to eat.'' On the occasion, he was felicitated by a large number of trade associations and mahajans.
Elaborating on the government's achievements, the Chief Minister said whosoever goes beyond any city in the state, beyond 25 km to 50 km, is bound to see developmental activity. Roads are being laid, a hospital being built or a house being built. People ask from where does the money come from? The answer is simple: Every rupee spent is reaching the targetted beneficiary. Even a dejected former prime minister late Rajiv Gandhi had to admit that middlemen were swallowing large part of a rupee and only 14 paise were reaching the needy.
Tackling corruption at its root was made possible with vision and determination, Mr Modi said adding the UPA and its allies are known by Nandigram, whereas Gujarat is known by Jyotirgam yojana -- an employment generation scheme.
Mr Modi said at Nandigram, the Leftists massacred the innocent farmers who were protesting peacefully. The opposition and other activists had cried foul in Sohrabuddin Sheikh case too. In 30 per cent of the geographical area of this country, the Naxals and Maoists are ruling or there is lawlessness. ''I had sworn that Gujarat will be free from terror and no one will be harassed by anti-socials as was the case before I took over in 2002. I challenged the terrorists and I wish to say again that as long as blood runs in my body, I will fight terror with all my might,'' he said amid loud applause.
He said ''The octroi had been there for ages. So many chief ministers came and went and not one of them succeeded in removing it. The opposition levelled allegation that Mr Modi was playing foul with traders by taking them down the garden path about octroi abolition, even though I clarified that I had already passed a bill in the assembly for its abolition. Today, everyone is happy that octroi has gone.'' ''I am offering the honour and felicitation bestowed on me today by the GCCI and the traders back at their (people's) feet,'' Mr Modi said, adding, the honour belonged to the 5.5 crore people of the state.
The GCCI had organised the felicitation function to honour the Chief Minister for abolishing the Octroi Tax from seven Municipal Corporations of Gujarat. Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) had directed the district authorities to videograph the felicitation programme of Mr Modi with a view to continue stringent implementation of the model code of conduct in the state.
In a bid to prevent any confrontation with or invite wrath from EC, the GCCI had aptly called the programme as ''Sneh-Milan'' on the occasion of Diwali festival.
UNI