PM Narendra Modi invites himself over to Tamil Nadu resident's house for dosa-idli

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invited himself over for a treat of dosas and idlis at the house of a Tamil Nadu woman who is one of the beneficiaries of the 'Ujjwala Yojna', a flagship welfare scheme of his government aimed at increasing LPG cylinder coverage among poor families.

"How has having a gas cylinder been useful?" asked Modi of Rudramma, from the Krishnagiri district in western Tamil Nadu.

"Before I used to cook on wood stove, now it's much easier," replied Rudramma in Tamil, through a translator, during an interaction of the PM with the 'Ujjwala Yojna's beneficiaries.

"Did you make dosa and idls before getting a gas cylinder?" asked the PM, to which Rudramma replied saying, "it was very difficult to make them before." Now, she added, it's a lot easier to make the favourite south Indian snacks.

That's when the PM surprised Rudramma by inviting himself over for a meal of dosas.

"Will you make me some dosas when I come over?" he asked Rudramma, and she agreed with alacrity.

"Of course, I will, please definitely do visit," said the smiling Tamil woman to PM Modi.


Earlier, in an address, the PM said the 'Ujjwala Yojna' has led to a social transformation, with over 45 per cent of its four crore beneficiaries being Dalits and tribals.

During the recent 'Gram Swaraj Yojna', 11 lakh people received LPG connection in one day, he said, adding more and more people are joining the list of its beneficiaries.

"Ujjwala Yojana has strengthened the lives of the poor, marginalised, Dalits, tribal communities. This initiative is playing a central role in social empowerment," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that when he was young, he would see rich and influential people had gas connections and they would tell the poor that it was unsafe to have a gas connection at home.

"When we would ask them why do they have it in their homes, they were silent," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)