PM Modi lambasts Congress for not conducting Panchayat & municipal polls in Puducherry

After launching the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke about the alliance of PDP and BJP in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and also slammed the Congress for not conducting Panchayat polls in Puducherry. The Prime Minister hailed the successful completion of District Development Council (DDC) polls in J&K and said that BJP had broken the alliance with 'a party in the valley' due to disagreements over the DDC polls.

Citing the case of Puducherry where Congress is in power, PM Modi said that BJP government has ensured that polls take place in J&K within a year of abrogation of Article 370, while Congress is not allowing Panchayat or Municipal polls in Puducherry despite being in power in the Union Territory since so many years.

The Prime Minister said, "The district development polls have opened a new phase in Jammu and Kashmir. I saw hope in the eyes of each voter of Jammu and Kashmir. People of J&K have strengthened democracy with this process of DDC polls. I also want to congratulate the administration of Jammu and Kashmir. L-G Manoj ji and his team deserve applause for this work. It is a step towards the dream of Mahatma Gandhi."

PM Modi lambasted the Congress party saying, "In Delhi, few people criticise Modi. Every day they want to teach a new lesson of democracy to me. I want to tell the people of India that in Puducherry Panchayat and Municipal polls are not being held despite Court's order, those who preach about democracy, their party is ruling in that UT. That party doesn't believe in democracy an d therefore they are not allowing the Panchayat polls. But will go on to give me lessons on the same. Some political parties will preach something else and will do something else. Look at Jammu and Kashmir, within a year of becoming a UT, we have conducted polls."

Prime Minister Modi also spoke about the alliance with Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP and said, "We were once in power, but we abandoned it. Why? We didn't want to be in power without ensuring welfare for people. So that panchayat polls could be conducted to strengthen democracy at the grass-root level. I am so glad that now the people who have been elected in DDC are the locals. These people have been chosen for their work, not their titles or family names."

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PM launches AB-PMJAY SEHAT scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT scheme for the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The scheme will benefit as many as 21 lakh eligible people on the basis of Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, as per release by Prime Minister's Office (PMO). This scheme will ensure Universal Health Coverage and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities of Jammu and Kashmir, a statement by PMO said. 

In the event, J&K L-G Manoj Sinha listed the work that the Government of India has done since the abrogation of Article 370 and assured that all the Central schemes will be implemented in the Union Territory. Union Home Minister Amit Shah via video conference addressed the launch and called it a milestone. Remarking that 3-tier Panchayati Raj has come into existence since August 5, the Home Minister said that now Centre's fund and development will reach out to all the corners of the UT. Lauding the efforts Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha in COVID-19 management and peacekeeping, he said that the tourism has resumed in Jammu and Kashmir because of controlled COVID-19 precautions. 

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