Raman Singh projects states' views at BJP national executive meet

Speaking at length about various challenges being faced by the states, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has said perhaps for the first time there is a connect between the states and the Centre as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the Central Government sensitive to the requirements of the states.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the process to make India one of the most powerful countries of the world has been started, while keeping our democratic values intact," said Singh, who was invited by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command to speak on the states' perspective at the recently held two-day national executive meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad city.

Describing various projects and schemes launched by the Modi government for the betterment of weaker sections of society, rural areas, women, poor, farmers and others, the Chief Minister talked about how these were helpful in transforming lives in Chhattisgarh.

Speaking about the Naxal menace in the state, Singh said measures taken for the development, security and confidence building in Bastar district after the BJP government came to power at the Centre has set an example before the nation.

Singh, the only Chief Minister invited to address the meeting, also praised Prime Minister Modi for his resolve to double the income of farmers in the next five years and his scheme to insure crops from damage for the well-being of the farming community.

Hailing two years of the government, he said the people of India have given absolute majority to the BJP, which Prime Minister Modi justified by taking the nation to new heights in this little time.

Lambasting the 10 years of the UPA rule at the Centre, Singh, who is the Chief Minister of the state for the third consecutive term, said: "The Congress during its decade-long rule treated states as if they didn't have self-respect, but I am proud to say that the Prime Minister changed that and also increased the states' share in revenue from 32 percent to 43 percent. Now, the states can chalk out plans for their development."

Singh also praised the Centre for checking irregularities in coal mine allocations by introducing transparency in the system and giving the states right to auction or lease mines.

"Owing to the Centre's new mineral policies, the states would be able to constitute 'District Mineral Fund' under which such districts will get around Rs. 5,400 crores," he added.

Backing the BJP's political resolution, Singh said the policies and schemes implemented by Prime Minister Modi has brought about miraculous changes in backward and tribal belts of Chhattisgarh, adding that institutions like Livelihood College and Education City have come up in Dantewada and Sukma districts respectively.

He alleged that due to wrong policies of the Congress, the disparity between the rich and poor were widening.

"One of the reasons for which was embezzlement of funds by the middlemen, which Congress' prime ministers never tried to fix and only shed crocodile tears over it. But Modi ji ensured that every penny released by the government goes to the beneficiary's account by setting a record of opening over 21 crores bank accounts and depositing Rs. 38,000 crores in those accounts."