Previous governments were not serious about poverty alleviation: PM Modi

Addressing a gathering here after launching several public welfare works, Modi sought to highlight the difference between his government and the previous governments and said the current dispensation was "working faster" on development and welfare projects.

Noting that Maharashtra has produced several reformers who ensured social harmony, Modi also called for defeating forces which divide communities for their political interests.

"In the last four years, the government has made serious efforts to provide proper houses to the poor living in shanties. Efforts were made in the past too. But unfortunately, their sole objective was to promote the name of a particular family, instead of empowering the poor by giving them shelter. Their aim was to create a vote-bank," he said, in an apparent reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

"Our target is to ensure that there is not a single homeless person in India by 2022, when the country celebrates its 75th years of Independence. We are making serious efforts for the uplift of the poor," he said.

The objective of the present government, Modi said, is only welfare of the poor. "Because of this, the poverty alleviation works have expedited," he added.

Modi observed that the previous regime built only 25 lakh houses for the poor in its last four years of rule, while his government has constructed 1.25 crore houses in the same time span. "It would have taken 20 years to construct 1.25 crore houses, had the previous government been still in power," he said.

Modi also talked about the Centre's Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme and assured assistance to Maharashtra government in view of the water shortage caused by deficient rainfall.

Before his address, Modi performed puja at the Sai baba temple. He also participated in an event marking the conclusion of the year-long Saibaba Samadhi centenary programme organised by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust. He also issued a silver coin in the name of Saibaba.