PM slams past govts over delayed projects, vote-bank politics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the past governments, accusing them of viewing development from the prism of vote bank politics.

The PM laid the foundation stone and dedicated to nation various development projects worth more than Rs 4,850 crores in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli on Tuesday.

"It has been the misfortune of the country that for several decades development was weighed on the scale of vote bank politics. Projects were announced on the basis of how many votes would be received and from where. Those who did not have access and whose voice was weak remained deprived and left behind in the journey of development. This is the reason why our tribal and border areas were deprived of development," he said at a gathering in Silvassa.

He tried to highlight the fact that even after decades of independence, the regions of Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli did not have a single medical college due to which the youths had to travel to other regions to become doctors. PM Modi accused the past governments of paying no heed to the aspirations of the people from this region.

He highlighted that Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli got its first National Academic Medical Organisation or NAMO Medical College only due to the service-oriented approach and dedication of the present government which came into power after 2014.

"Now every year, approximately 150 youth from the region will get a chance to study medicine", a statement from his office quoted him as saying. According to him, roughly 1000 doctors will be produced from the region in the near future.

He recalled starting science education in schools in the tribal areas and spoke about the issue of education not being taught in the mother tongue. "Now the option of even medical and engineering education is available in local languages which will greatly help the local students", he said.

"The dedication of the engineering college today will give an opportunity to 300 students every year to study engineering", the Prime Minister said.