Bhopal, Apr 24, 2023, IANS

Bhopal, April 24 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lambasted the Congress and accused it of discriminating against rural India during its long rule in the country.

While addressing a gathering in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa on the occasion of 'Panchayati Raj' day, the PM said that the villages were kept away from development, while his government is determined to set the path of growth in the lives of people living in rural India.

"Though, during the 1990s, the Congress government did take some steps for development, but those were not enough. The Congress destroyed the Panchayati Raj system, which was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi. After 2014, rural India has started witnessing developments in all sectors," he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi launched various projects, including e-GramSwaraj and GeM portal for procurement of goods and services at the panchayat level.

On the occasion of 'Panchayati Raj' day, he performed the virtual 'Griha Pravesh' (house-warming ceremony) for 4.11 lakh beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the rural part of Rewa.

Meanwhile, he inaugurated various projects worth Rs 7,853 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission for three districts of Vindhya region - Rewa, Sidhi and Satna. He also flagged off three trains, one of them being Rewa to Nagpur (Chhindwara and Betul).

PM Modi also launched the 'Joint Steps towards Development' campaign with the aim of increasing people's participation in ensuring full benefits of government schemes.

During his visit to Rewa, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various railway projects worth about Rs 2,300 crore.