Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that trust and support of the people were the Government’s true assets and that farmers would play a crucial role in making India the world’s third largest economy. The PM was addressing thousands of farmers from his parliamentary constituency (Varanasi) during his first visit since being sworn-in for a third term, at the Kisan Samman Sammelan in Mehndiganj near Raja Talab on Tuesday evening.
Expressing his gratitude to the voters of Varanasi, Modi noted that they had elected him not only as their MP but also as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, a feat achieved after six decades.
“I’ll leave no stone unturned to meet the expectations of the people and work tirelessly to make India a developed nation,” Modi said.
The PM attributed the success in winning a third term for his Government to the achievements of the past decade, which focused on the comprehensive growth of farmers, youth, women, and the poor.
He highlighted the massive participation of about 64 crore voters in the world’s largest democratic election, which he compared to being 1.5 times larger than the combined population of the G7 countries and 2.5 times larger than that of the European Union.
He also emphasised that around 30 crore women participated in the election, surpassing the entire population of the United States.
During the event, the PM released the 17th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), amounting to over `20,000 crore. Modi pointed out that the first file he signed after being sworn in for the third time authorised the release of this installment, demonstrating the government’s commitment to farmer welfare.
He noted that around 9.26 crore farmers received the 17th installment through Direct Benefit Transfer. To date, more than 11 crore eligible farmer families have received benefits totalling over ` 3.04 lakh crore under PM-KISAN.
The PM also awarded certificates to over 30,000 women from self-help groups (SHGs) as Krishi Sakhis, presenting the certificates on stage to five ‘Krishi Sakhis’ from different States.
He pointed out that this certification course aligns with the objectives of the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ programme. Later, Modi participated in the famous Ganga Aarti at Dashaswamedh Ghat and performed Ganga Pujan amidst chanting of Vedic mantras, reaffirming his bond with Varanasi as Maa Ganga’s adopted son. He then visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer prayers.
At the outset, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, and UP Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi welcomed the PM, describing him as the world’s most popular leader. The function was attended by Governor Anandiben Patel, BJP State President Bhupendra Chaudhary, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya & Brijesh Pathak, UP ministers Jaiveer Singh, Anil Rajbhar, Ravindra Jaiswal, Dr Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu, MLAs, MLCs, and other public representatives.
