PM Modi targets Gandhi family at Shirdi

SHIRDI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the previous UPA regime for planning and implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme with the sole aim of increasing the popularity of the Gandhi family among the masses.

He was addressing a gathering at Shirdi in Maharashtra on Friday at the conclusion of the year-long Sai Baba Samadhi centenary celebrations.

Although he did not take the name of the family, Modi said that in the previous UPA regime PMAY projects too were taken up.

"Unfortunately the aim of the previous regime was not to ensure that the poor got the houses under the project. Instead the sole target was to give publicity to 'one particular family.'

To buttress his claims Modi shared data for the houses constructed to the poor in the UPA and NDA regimes.

"In the last four years of UPA regime, 25 lakh houses under this scheme were constructed. In our four years of rule, we have given 1.25 crore houses to the poor," he added.

He added that his government is implementing projects without any political vested purposes to promote anyone.

"But sole aim is to bring smiles and happiness to the poor and the needy. We are committed to improve their plight," he said.

According to him his government has saw to it that the implementation of the project was done in a complete transparent manner.

"The money is being transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. The quality of the houses is much better and we are ensuring that the these newly constructed houses for the poor have power, toilets and gas connections. Even the sizes of the houses are bigger than the previous UPA government," added Modi.