UP polls : PM addresses his first poll campaign in Kanpur...
Takes digs at non-Cong ruled States
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India

Kanpur, February 17 2012: Holding non-Congress governments responsible for lack of development in Uttar Pradesh in the last 22 years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said only Congress, led by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, can change this "bad situation" and provide good governance in the state.

Addressing his first election rally in the UP assembly elections, the Prime Minister targeted Chief Minister Mayawati over allegations of corruption against her government on several issues, including the much talked about NRHM, MNREGA and other centrally-sponsored schemes.

Singh said the condition of law and order, power supply, potable water facilities and infrastructure in the state has gone down.

"The reason behind this bad situation is that non-Congress governments which came to power in the state in the last 22 years did not pay attention either to governance or the problems of the common man," he said.

Singh urged people to vote Congress to power by promising "we will work with greater strength for the development of UP if the Congress comes to power" .

The PM also referred to the Bundelkhand package saying Rahul Gandhi played a key role in ensuring the measure but it was not fully utilised by the state government due to "irregularities" in its implementation.

"There is a need to change this situation.

You need a government which changes the shape of UP and focuses on development by rising above caste and religious lines.

Congress led by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi can provide such a government," the Prime Minister said.

Referring to the backwardness of Bundelkhand region, the Prime Minister said a special package of Rs 1,700 crore was announced for its development.

"This was to remove the backwardness of Bundelkhand, but I regret that it has not been used to its full extent.

We are getting reports of irregularities," he said.

Referring to the plight of farmers, he said, the central government had waived repayment of Rs 8,200 crore loans to them.

Besides, the support price of wheat, paddy and sugar have been raised, he said.

Singh also said that though the Centre was ensuring adequate availability of fertiliser in the state, farmers were not getting it on time as the BSP government did not pay proper attention to their requirements.

He said that for providing employment in rural areas, the Centre had launched a job guarantee scheme under MGNREGA and also started the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to ensure proper medicare to people in the villages.

"But it pains me when I hear that these schemes are being misused," he said.

Singh said despite UP government's "non-cooperation," the Centre has made all efforts to help development of the state.

Asserting that the Centre has increased assistance to the state by 5-6 times, he said a massive Rs 95 lakh crore was given for rural roads so that 12,000 villages and hamlets could be connected.

Besides, Rs 24,000 crore was earmarked for major roads and highways under various central projects, he said.

"But I find the state is sliding towards extreme backwardness.

Factories and industries are lying closed in your historic city of Kanpur, once referred to as Manchester, and same is the case with other cities in the state.

"Unemployment is growing and the position of power supply and roads is worsening," he said.

Referring to the education sector, the Prime Minister said, "There was a time when the state had very good institutions.

The level of education has today gone down significantly.

"The law and order situation too is very bad.

I feel this is because in the past 22 years, non-Congress governments have neither paid attention to good governance nor attempted to solve the problems of the common people," he said .

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