Modi reiterated his resolve for the overall development of Bengal and addressed West Bengal.

New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued an open letter to the people of West Bengal and reiterated his resolve for the overall development of the state. In the letter, he expressed concern over the current conditions of the state and said that the future of West Bengal will be decided in the coming months and this decision will depend on the thoughtful decision taken by the people here.

The Prime Minister addressed the citizens of West Bengal by starting his letter with the address ‘Jai Maa Kali’. He said that every youth, elderly and woman of the state today expects a better future and their pain pains them too. In the same spirit, he talked about taking a pledge to make West Bengal ‘developed’ and ‘prosperous’.

Referring to various public welfare schemes of the Central Government, the Prime Minister claimed that in the last years, empowerment of the poor, farmers, youth and women has been given top priority. He said that despite non-cooperation and opposition from the state government, five crore people in West Bengal are connected to the banking system through Jan-Dhan Yojana. 85 lakh toilets have been constructed under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Loans worth Rs 2.82 lakh crore were given to small traders and entrepreneurs.

Through ‘Ujjwala Yojana’, by providing cooking gas to more than one crore families, mothers and sisters were freed from smoke. The Prime Minister said that 56 lakh people have registered under the Atal Pension Yojana and a large number of families have got permanent houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. He also mentioned that through Kisan Samman Nidhi, direct financial assistance is being given to 52 lakh farmers, which has brought positive change in their lives.

In the letter, Modi mentioned the historical and cultural pride of West Bengal. He said that the state has played an important role in the freedom movement and it has been the leading state in deciding the direction of the country’s economy. But in the last decades the state has suffered losses due to misgovernance and appeasement politics. He alleged that due to lack of employment, youth are having to migrate to other states and there is concern about the safety of women.

Recalling the great personalities of Bengal, the Prime Minister said that the Bengal envisioned by Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore is today seen in the grip of narrow politics and violence. The sacred lands of the state are being affected by illegal infiltration and violent incidents, causing an atmosphere of concern in the entire country.