Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the efforts of the Central government for the welfare of the citizens, including the ones toward agriculture and rural households and said that it is the government’s priority to support crores of farmers all across the nation at every step.

“Today, Gujarat’s 97 per cent of rural households are receiving tap water… under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 2 lakh crores have been directly transferred to the accounts of the country’s farmers,” PM Modi said while interacting with beneficiaries of various schemes at Olpad in Gujarat’s Surat.

The PM Kisan Samman Nidhi is a Government of India initiative under which the farmers in the country get up to Rs 6,000 per year as minimum income support.

He further talked about various other schemes that were launched by the Centre including One Nation, One Ration Card scheme for benefitting the migrant workers.

“One Nation, One Ration Card has benefitted migrant workers the most as it facilitates ration distribution to the beneficiary in any part of the country,” he said.

Under the aforesaid scheme, the beneficiaries can claim or access the foodgrains from anywhere in the country.

He further said how India has become the fifth largest economy and how its fight against the spread of coronavirus infection has been praised worldwide.

“The whole world has appreciated our efforts of implementing the largest vaccination program during COVID-19 and the way it has helped us in revitalizing economic activities. Increasing GDP figures and the overtaking United Kingdom are the evident examples of our continuous growth,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister, it was a good fortune for him to witness a confluence of thousands of beneficiaries of different schemes, “a kind of double engine government, Bhupendra-Narendra Sarkar,” PM Modi said.

Congratulating Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for his initiative of Mega Medical Camp, he said, “The special Mega Medical Camp is a way of connecting people through Sewa, and I wholeheartedly congratulate Bhupendra Bhai for this initiative. It will benefit numerous citizens here.”

He further emphasised that a healthy youth is reckoned as a healthy future of the nation. The BJP is ensuring the same by increasing the number of establishments like multi-speciality hospitals and AIIMS.

“We have laid special emphasis on health infrastructure in the past years, for creating awareness in the public regarding the prevention of diseases from turning fatal,” he said.

“Today a strong network of multi-speciality hospitals has been created all over Gujarat. Medical colleges have increased from 11 to 31 in the last two decades. AIIMS is also coming up and many medical colleges are proposed,” he added.

Recalling the time of the Tapi floods in 2006, he said that he remembers how Surat’s youth was out on street as soon as he met and requested them to rejuvenate Surat. He can never forget the support and blessings that Surat has showered on him, he added.

“I can never forget the blessings, I received from Surat. This city beautifully stands on a firm base created by the collective efforts of locals, migrants and many others. Their working in tandem signifies one of the Panch Prans of Ekta, I’ve asked you all to embrace,” PM Modi said.