Brothers and sisters,

 

Today I have got the privilege of coming to the land of Santhals. This is the land of brave sons like Bhagvan Birsa Munda, Chand Bhairav, Nilambar-Pitambar. I salute this land and heartily greet the brave citizens of this land. Today on the land of Sahibganj seven development projects are being inaugurated. I believe that for the first time since independence so many schemes are being launched in a single programme for the development of this region. There is one way of solving the problems of my poorest of the poor tribal brothers and sisters and for the welfare of the Santhal region so as to transform their lives. That solution is development. Faster the rate of development of this place, the more successful we will be in changing the lives of common man here. Today an extremely important programme is being taken up and that is connecting Jharkhand and Bihar. The bridge with an investment of 2200 crore rupees will not only connect the two states above the river Ganga, but also will open up new possibilities of development. With this bridge you will be getting the opportunity of connecting directly with eastern India.

I congratulate the people of Bihar and Jharkhand as the foundation-stone is being laid for this important bridge. Nitin Gadkari ji is a Minister who is known for getting the work done on time. Therefore, I am sure that he will get the work done by the date fixed for its inauguration. This work will not remain pending. You can imagine the opportunities for employment it will create for the youngsters. They can easily return to their homes in their own district if they want. This will provide employment along with skill development. A person becomes even more efficient and skilful than an engineer when he works on a project for 2 to two and a half years. Several youngsters of this region will gain this strength by working on this project. In the future, if any such project comes up in Jharkhand or Bihar or any other region, then preference for manpower will be from this region and these youngsters will get an opportunity to work at an enhanced remuneration. Such is the strength of this project. The greatest strength of these projects is that of the manpower. There is a need for development of manpower with skill development.

My best wishes are with the youngsters here. A great opportunity is knocking at your door. You too should be determined to work hard and increase your ability. Once your capabilities expand, the world will start asking for experienced youngsters like you. This is the change that is going to occur. Today I got the opportunity to inaugurate another programme too and that is the road constructed between Sahibganj and Govindpur. Earlier it used to take 10 hours, 12 hours or 14 hours to reach Govindpur from here. With the construction of this new road, you can now reach in just 5 or 7 hours. Your life has received such a great momentum with this. This has brought such a big change in your lives. This is not just a road passing through the Santhal region but it is opening up new opportunities for development in the lives of poorest of the poor resident of the Santhal region. This is bringing the goal of development closer. Hence, there are several roads for transportation but this road is not just for transportation but this is a way to move towards development. It will transform the face of Santhal region. This is my strong belief.

Brothers and sisters,

We address our rivers as mother. Mother gives us everything but sometimes it is said that even mothers don't give us something unless we ask for it. Mother Ganges has been fostering the whole region for centuries. It is flowing in the form of its lifeline. But mother Ganges can give us new strength in this changing era. In the 21st century, mother Ganges can connect Jharkhand to the world directly and we are working in that direction. Have you ever thought about it that the cities that are situated on the sea shore are automatically connected to the world; but can a landlocked region like Jharkhand which does not have a sea around it also be connected to the world? Nitin Gadkari ji is working on a project with his heart and mind and it is going to be one of the greatest projects. On the completion of this project, Jharkhand will be directly connected to the world. It is the Multi Modal Terminal Project, the foundation-stone for which is being laid today. Ships will move from here to the Bay of Bengal, carry the goods and the goods can directly reach the world through Bay of Bengal. When such facilities are available for world trade then Jharkhand can make its mark in the world trade, be it the stone chips or the coal of other yields of Jharkhand. This will create a capacity to directly connect to world market. Moreover, if one wants to carry the goods from this region to the western part of India after the system becomes operational, not necessarily one has to use road or rail transport. One can carry goods via coastal route along the Bay of Bengal. It will be cheaper. It will help in making the workers of this field financially stronger.

Brothers and sisters,

There has been a lot of efforts and thinking on highways in our country during Atal ji's time. Two significant contributions were made to the infrastructure of our country during that period. There are several other contributions but I am mentioning just two. First, connecting the country with the golden quadrilateral gave it a modern outlook. The second one is Pradhanmantri Grameen Sadak Yojana which, in a way, provided every village with arterial network of roads. During his governance, a great work was accomplished. The governments that came later have also been continuing with that scheme. This was the second contribution by Vajpayee ji.

Brothers and sisters, when it comes to infrastructure, we talk about road and railways. We have made highways and constructed airports for the aeroplanes. We have worked towards expansion of Railways. But we are facing a challenge in one area. The present government has taken a decision under the leadership of Nitin Gadkari ji to transport cargo through inland waterways. Under this, a system is being developed to transport cargo between Varanasi and Haldia. Jharkhand is being connected to the Bay of Bengal. Ships will start from here. We have seen small boats on these rivers but now we will also see ships carrying thousands of tons of cargo in these rivers. Now you can imagine the new field of development that is emerging. We had Highways, Railways and air ways; but now we are also developing waterways. The waterways are being inaugurated today. Investments of about thousands of crores will be made. This campaign is being renewed in India and hence is going to be appreciated. The economists are going to write on it and discuss about it in the future. This is an environment friendly infrastructure which is being promoted in India. The environment is also being protected along with development and expansion of transportation network. This work is being done by Nitin Gadkari Ji's department. Mother Ganges is providing everything. This new gift from Mother Ganges is opening up a new path of development. Therefore, we are highly indebted to mother Ganga.

Brothers and sisters,

Today I congratulate the Chief Minister of Jharkhand Shri Raghubar Das Ji for taking this extremely important step for Santhal region's farmers and animal-rearers. This step is towards the dairy sector. If an animal rearer gets an assured price for his milk then he will definitely be engaged in animal husbandry. Today he does animal husbandry to fulfil the need of milk for his family or sells some of it in the neighbouring areas. But he doesn't understand the commercial model of this profession. After the milk is produced by the poor farmer or animal rearer, a huge chain can be formed by value addition to the milk produced. I have come from the land of Gujarat. Amul is famous in that area. Amul has penetrated every corner of the country. A small cooperative was formed under the direction of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Some farmers started this work by pooling in milk. Gradually it started developing and today it is known as Amul all over the world. Today Raghubar Das is going to lay the foundation-stone of that dairy for the poor farmers and animal rearers of Santhal region. This dairy will ensure right price for their milk through processing, marketing and branding. He is working in that direction. My best wishes are with him. Gujarat has a good experience in the dairy sector. If Jharkhand needs assistance from Gujarat I will ask them to help you so that it helps the farmers and the animal rearers of this region. This is because sometimes landholding is often small but if animal husbandry is strong then it supports them. I would like to appeal to the Chief Minister that just like he has worked towards developing the dairy sector, he can also develop the honey industry. An animal rearer can also develop honey through apiculture. Honey can be collected and a global market for honey can be created. Our farmers can earn from milk, honey as well as agriculture. They can have an assured income for 12 months in a year. I am sure Raghubar Das ji is far-sighted even if it might appear as a small thing right now. It appeared as a small thing even when the cooperative was formed by the inspiration of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. But now it has become world renowned. Raghubar ji has started this small work. I can clearly see its future strength. I believe that this will play a major role in transforming the fate of the Santhal region and of the animal rearers and the farmers.

Brothers and sisters,

On 2nd October 2015, I got the privilege of visiting Khunti on an invitation of Justice DN Patel. The court at Khunti is the country's first solar court. The court works on solar power.

Today I am glad that once again a government complex and the second court in Sahibganj are going to become fully operational with the help of solar energy. For this I want to congratulate Justice DN Patel and his entire team as well as the Government of Jharkhand. They have promoted solar energy. They have taken the responsibility of promoting rooftop solar energy by installing about 4500 kilowatt solar energy successfully. If we want to save our forests and leave something for our future generations then we should protect our environment. One of the excellent sources of energy is the solar energy and India is progressing towards the direction of solar energy. India has a dream of achieving 175 Giga watt of renewable energy in which 100 Giga watt will be by the solar energy. It saves us a lot of money that we usually have to spend on purchasing energy from other countries. That money will be used for the welfare of the poor. The environment will also be saved from damage. There was a time when one unit of solar energy used to cost 19 rupees. But India has undertaken such a campaign that the Solar Energy is cheaper than the coal energy today. Just now the tender that was out was of only 3 Rupees or 2 Rupees 96 Paise. This means we just need to pay for the investment cost and after that the electricity can be obtained without any cost.

Brothers and sisters,

In the 21st century no one can be compelled to live in darkness. There are several families today that are not taking electricity connection. They feel there is no need for the same. They take it only after a lot of persuasion. Even when the government provides electricity for free, they are indifferent. For the progress of the children of such families the government has taken steps to provide small bulbs that can run on solar batteries and can be fixed on the ground or table and used for studying. For a farmer, electricity costs a lot for pumping out water from the ground. Now they are using solar pumps to pump out water from the ground. The battery will also get charged with the solar energy and water can also be pumped out simultaneously. The field will also be green with the harvest. Now he will start growing 3 crops instead of 2 crops. The Solar pumps will also help to double the income of the farmers. The Indian government is revolutionizing the field of solar energy. The Government of Jharkhand has also taken the responsibility to walk hand in hand with the Government of India. Solar energy and rooftop solar energy projects are being promoted. For this I congratulate the Government of Jharkhand. I would also like to tell my countrymen to be sensitive towards energy issues. We should understand the importance of energy and protection of our future. Now a nation-wide campaign for LED lights is being run. If any government in a budget announces its decision to distribute 10 thousand crore rupees then everyone will be happy. The people will praise Modi ji and it will become the headline in the newspapers that 10 thousand crores are going to be distributed among the people. Friends, we have done something with your cooperation that more than 10 thousand crores Rupees will go straight to your pockets. What did we do? Install LED bulbs and save electricity. Your electricity bill will be reduced. Some of you will save Rs.250, some will save Rs.1000 and some Rs.2000 annually. That amount will be helpful in feeding milk to the poor children. When we came to power, the LED bulbs used to cost Rs.350-400. The same bulbs now cost Rs.60. And about 22 crore bulbs have been distributed by the government in the entire country. Some people have themselves purchased these bulbs and now 50 crore new LED bulbs have been installed in the homes of the people. The amount of money saved on electricity bills for this is more than 11 thousand crore rupees. This amount will be saved by the people who have saved electricity. A small step can turn into a revolution. In a way we are making a 360 degree network by saving electricity on one hand and using solar energy on the other. You are going to benefit out of it.

I can see some youngsters in front of me. They are wearing caps with yellow flowers. They are looking fabulous! They are the children of Aadim race of Pahadiya society. They have till date not got the opportunity to work in the government. Kindly have a round of applause and I congratulate Raghubar Das ji for his new initiative and for selecting these Pahadiya children. He amended government rules. He compromised on their height and educational qualification. He provided them training and assigned them the job of security-men. In a way they have become a part of the government. Brothers and sisters, Pahadiya children are among those Indians who are considered to be the most backward. The Pahadiya daughters are now being brought to the mainstream. They are now being linked to the mainstream of development. When these daughters had come to collect their certificates I was sure after looking at their body language, their way of saluting, their way of speaking to the media and their confidence, that they are going to make us proud. My friends of Pahadiya community are going to be a new strength of Jharkhand by providing security. Kindly have another round of applause and feel the pride. You people should congratulate Raghubar Das ji for this important work. In the community that is poor and even more backward than the tribal people, who could not get the opportunity to go to school for generations together, are present before us today. I am really delighted due to this. My life is blessed today by looking at these children. They are going to be the foundation of my India. This is my new India. This is an example of how every poor person of the country will be involved in the journey of development India.

Brothers and sisters,

Some women had appeared on the stage today. I am not sure whether you could see them from that distance but on behalf of the Government of Jharkhand I was giving them mobile phones. I also observed that they were giving correct answers to my questions. They know what an app is, what the Bhim app is, how to download the app and how to use it for monetary transactions through the mobiles. I was feeling extremely happy. My friends in the Parliament were asking me that how the poor of India will understand the working of a mobile phone and how to operate it. I will definitely tell my friends when I meet them in Parliament that I had been to the most backward Santhal area of the country where my tribal sisters were teaching me the use of mobile phones. This is revolution. This is digital India revolution. This is a revolution of a less cash society. After the demonetization everybody is thinking of making their mobile phones as their banks. The head of small Sakhi Mandals will have a mobile phone, that phone will be connected to a bank and the phone to the customers. This is going to be a revolution. I congratulate the sisters of the Sakhi Mandals of Santhal region. I have one experience of the past which inspires me even today. This was when I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. There is a village of tribal people in Southern Gujarat named Kaparada. I was the Chief Minister at that time but I did not get time to visit that place earlier because no such opportunity ever came to me. There was not even a field to organize a meeting. The entire region was covered under forest. The houses were scattered. But then I decided to go. There we started a dairy farm and established a chilling centre for cooling the milk. It is a place where the milk is stored for 2 to 4 hours before being carried to the dairy. It is a small project and costs 25 to 50 lakhs. I said that I would come for that project. So everyone was disappointed. They asked me whether I really wanted to go for a 50 lakh programme! I insisted that I wanted to go. It was very difficult to hold public meeting there. It was arranged in a school ground 3 to 4 kilometres away. But some women had come with their utensils filled with milk to the chilling centre. The programme was successful. After that I saw that those women kept their utensils aside and took out their mobile phones to click my photo. There were about 30 women and everyone had a mobile phone and that too with a camera feature. They were clicking pictures. I went to them. It was a big wonder! I asked them - what are you doing? They said - we are clicking your photos. I asked- what will you do by clicking the photos? They said- we will get them downloaded. I was surprised to hear the word 'download' from them. Sometimes the high class people are unaware of the fact in that even the common people have the strength of learning Modern Technology and Science. Once again today I heard from my tribal sisters who said that - we will be the part of Digital revolution. We are determined to do this job. I congratulate the Government of Jharkhand for starting this digital campaign by making the Sakhi Mandals - the soldiers of this revolution through mobile phone connectivity. The era has changed and we have to move in this direction of a changed era.

Brothers and sisters,

The poor of India wants to live with dignity. India's tribal people, the Dalit, the suppressed and the exploited want to live with dignity. He doesn't want anyone's grace. The young man is saying that he needs the opportunity and he can write his own fortune. This is the strength of the children of my poor tribal people, suppressed and the exploited. I am using all my strength for these children and youngsters so that they make efforts to change the fate of their country, of India.

Brothers and sisters,

Corruption has destroyed the country like a termite. If cleared at one place, it emerges in another place; if cleared in that place, it emerges in yet another place. But with your blessings, we will continue this fight. Those who have robbed the poor of their wealth will have to return that to them. Till that happens I am not going to be at peace. I will take one step after another. Therefore, brothers and sisters keep blessing me for this fight for integrity and honesty. After demonetisation I got an opportunity to interact with a few youngsters who were well educated and belonged to wealthy families. I thought that they would be worried and annoyed because of demonetization but they told me something interesting. They said that once they told their father - in your period the rules of the government were different and tax rates were also high, so even you had to get into corruption. But now an era of honesty has arrived in our country. And the people of our generation do not want to be in a dishonest affair. We want to live in peace and lead an honest life. An era of honesty has begun in our generation. A desire to live honestly has emerged. If the country’s youth have this mind-set that we will not do what our ancestors or parents had to do, this is a good sign for me and my country.

Brothers and sisters,

We can lead a happy and peaceful life even without looting and robbing. We can sleep with contentment. Therefore, we should move towards an era of honesty. The year 2022 will mark 75 years of India's Independence. Brothers and sisters, 75 years of Independence will not just be a date on the calendar but it means that the people like Birsa Munda who belonged to this region and others who laid down their lives for the country's freedom. Why did they do this? They had dreamt of an independent India and therefore they had sacrificed their lives. They went to the gallows to fulfil their dreams. They had spent their lives in the prisons for us. Can't we give 5 years, I am just asking for 5 years, to the country's service? We will contribute something or the other for the country. This should be the dream of country's 125 crore citizens. 125 crore countrymen should have 1 resolution that till 75 years of independence, for which we have 5 years in our hands, we should do something for the society. India can move 125 crore steps ahead by the year 2022 if every Indian moves one step ahead with this resolution. This is our strength, friends. Therefore, the need of the hour is that we should take a resolution that by 2022 we will have to reach our destination whether we are in a government department or in a Nagar Palika or in a Nagar Panchayat or in a school or in a village or a mohalla or in a family. If every Indian makes it a dream then by 2022 we can see the India which will satisfy the souls of the great personalities that our country is moving on a right direction; the country for which they had sacrificed their lives. We should move ahead with the dream of 'my country is moving ahead'. With this hope, I once again salute the land of Jharkhand. I salute the land of Birsa Munda. I congratulate these Pahadia youngsters. My best wishes to the people of Jharkhand. We have started this campaign by seeking the blessings of mother Ganga. In this region we will bring an economic revolution and with this belief and hope I thank you all. My best wishes to you all.

 

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AKT/AK/KT/RSB/AK 

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