Narendra Modi speaks of development to woo tribals in election year

DAHOD (GUJARAT): With an eye on the forthcoming assembly elections, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi chose the occasion of the 52nd state Foundation Day to unveil a slew of schemes apparently to woo tribals from the district.

Modi announced as many as 500 development works, collectively valued at Rs 903 crore, for the district at a function held here to mark the formation day.

"The expenditure for implementing these schemes will be borne by the state exchequer. We are not utilising a single paisa from Centre's fund for the development works to be carried out in Dahod. I am custodian of the state's treasury and shall not let anybody misuse it," he said.

The chief minister said that his government was committed towards transforming the tribal districts ranging from Umargam to Ambaji as the best districts in the category across India.

Taking a dig at the Central government, Modi said as Gujarat was celebrating the "festival of development" his opponents the "decade of lies".

"Our opponents have been celebrating the decade of lies and we are celebrating development festival in Gujarat," he said.

With the assembly elections due in December, Modi announced a bulk water supply scheme worth Rs 456 crore, which aims to provide clean water for 210 villages in northern part of the district.

He announced a Rs 45 crore underground sewer scheme for Dahod city, while performing a groundbreaking ceremony of 82-km long Kadana dam-based water supply scheme of Rs 127.12 crore as part of the day-long Gujarat day celebrations.

Meanwhile, various programmes were held throughout the day across the state to commemorate the event.