Centre to launch Rs 24K-cr scheme for tribals: PM Modi

Betul: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Centre will launch a scheme with Rs 24,000 crore for the welfare of tribals in the country on Wednesday when the entire nation will celebrate Bhagwan Birsa Munda's birth anniversary.

Addressing a public meeting in Betul district, the PM said: “Tomorrow is Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, I will go to Jharkhand to pay respect to (tribal icon) Bhagwan Birsa Munda. The entire country will celebrate Munda's Jayanthi.”

Modi said the Congress was not in contention in Madhya Pradesh and heading for a "shameful defeat" in polls and slammed his rival party for treating tribals just as a vote-bank as he wrapped up his campaign rallies in the state.

“The Congress knows that its fake promises won't work in front of Modi's guarantees,” he said. “As November 17 is nearing, Congress' claims are getting exposed. The Congress has accepted defeat and now they're relying on luck,” he said. The Congress never believed that abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, law against triple talaq and the construction of Ram temple will ever be a reality, but "we have done all these things," Modi said.

All promises made to the people will be fulfilled and “this is my guarantee,” he added.

Modi also said India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world. He took a swipe at former Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his remark during a rally on Monday that mobile phones in the people’s pockets were “Made in China” and they should rather be “Made in Madhya Pradesh”. “A ‘mahagyani’ from Congress yesterday said people of India have ‘Made in China’ phones...moorkhon ke sardar (king of fools)...in which world do they live. They have the disease of not seeing their country’s progress. India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world,” the PM said.

Modi also said some Congress leaders are “sitting at home” and they don’t even feel like going out. “Congress leaders don’t know what they will say to people. The Congress has accepted that their fake promises don’t stand a chance in front of Modi guarantees,” he said. “This election is to stop corruption and loot by Congress in Madhya Pradesh,” Modi said. “You know that wherever the Congress comes, they bring destruction,” he added.

Capping his whirlwind election tour of MP, Modi addressed a rally in tribal-dominated Jhabua district, his third of the day, and reached out to Adivasis whose support is crucial for the saffron party in its bid to retain power. “The atmosphere which I have seen in entire Madhya Pradesh clearly shows the lotus (the BJP symbol) is going to bloom. I do not see the Congress in the game. It is heading for a shameful defeat. People will choose development and elect the BJP when they vote on November 17. The Congress will face a crushing defeat,” he said.