'Betterment of the poor biggest priority,' says PM Modi in Cuttack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said many who are in the NDA government have lived in poverty and that is why betterment of the poor is their biggest priority. It is a government whose President, Vice President and Pradhan Sevak, all have lived in poverty. PM Modi was addressing a public rally Odisha's Cuttack on four years of his government.

At the outset, PM Modi said, "It is my good fortune that I got the opportunity to greet my 125 crore countrymen from the land of great Lord Jagannath and Great freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose."

"Your aspirations, dreams and hopes are what makes me keep working," he said.

Highlights of PM Modi's speech:

• In these four years, the 125 crore Indian have come to believe that our India can change. Today the nation is going from 'Kala Dhan to 'Jan Dhan', from bad governance to good governance.
• Jab desh mein confusion nahi commitment waali sarkar chalti hai tab hi surgical strike jaise faisle liye jaate hain. Jab confusion nahi commitment wali sarkar chalti hai tab hi 'One Rank One Pension' jaisa dashkon se atka hua faisla laagu hota hai.
• It is important to remember the issues which the nation was facing 4 years ago, the atmosphere there was four years ago. It is important to remember how much did the family, which ruled the nation for 48 years, cared for it.
• Till 2014 39 per cent of the population had access to sanitation facilities, today the figure is over 80 per cent. From independence till 2014 there were around 6 crore toilets in the country but in last four years 7.5 crore toilets have been made
• Why didn't Congress realise that the poor are not being entertained at banks? Why didn't the Congress ever see that the lives of poor people also hold value and they also need life insurance
• There is lack of proper health facilities in several places. The situation is worse here in Odisha. I wonder what were the previous governments doing? Even if state governments aren't carrying out their responsibilities properly, the centre is doing everything it can in this direction.
• Due to the Mahanadi water dispute, farmers of Odisha are suffering. We are committed to resolve their problems and address the challenges they have to face