PM highlights pet projects

Modi’s Tea party with NDA MPs

New Delhi: Those observing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tea party with NDA Parliamentarians on Sunday evening for signs of a re-union with Shiv Sena for the government formation in Maharashtra, were in for a disappointment. On menu were the government's policies and priorities and the strategy for the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

This was the PM's first meeting with the MPs after he assumed office in May - last week he held a dinner meeting with his ministers.

The Parliamentarians who attended the meeting admitted to a couple of presentations - one on the Clean India campaign and the other on Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.

The Clean India campaign is already on a roll. Under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, each Parliamentarian has to adopt a village in his constituency to make it an adarsh (ideal) village. The presentation was made by Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari.

The PM spoke about the various big schemes launched by the government, emphasising that the focus of all the policies was on the economically deprived sections. He asked the MPs to get involved in the projects and told them the government's goals were achievable.

Other ministers also briefed the gathering on other schemes and initiatives - Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Jan Dhan Yojana, Labour Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on the labour reforms and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu on the Winter Session and the priorities of the government.

BJP veteran LK Advani and party chief Amit Shah addressed the MPs too.

A contingent from the Shiv Sena - which is still an ally at the Centre - attended the event, led by party minister Anant Geete. But Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was not among the guests.