Modi slams Congress for ‘looting’ people, unveils Rs 60,000 cr projects from Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 27) accused the Congress of leaving no stone unturned for looting people, stating that when in power, the grand old party imposed tax on annual incomes of Rs 2 lakh, whereas the BJP government raised the limit to Rs 12 lakh.

‘Beware of Congress’

Addressing a public rally in Jharsuguda, Odisha, the Prime Minister urged the people to be cautious of the Congress and its allies, accusing them of looting the masses.

“Congress left no opportunity to loot people, imposed tax on annual incomes of Rs 2 lakh. The BJP government raised the tax exemption limit to Rs 12 lakh,” said Modi. “Beware of Congress, its allies, as they loot people,” he added.

PM Modi alleged that the Congress started abusing the BJP government after the Centre reformed the GST regime and provided relief to the people.

"When our government reduced the price of cement, the Congress government in Himachal imposed its own tax. When we reduced the GST rates, prices came down across the country, but the Congress does not want to give this relief to the common people," added Modi.

He asserted that Odisha is progressing rapidly under the 'double-engine' government.

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Lauds BSNL over indigenous 4G

The Prime Minister lauded BSNL for launching indigenous 4G technology, claiming that India had previously lagged behind in the telecom sector.

“When 2G, 3G, and 4G services began in the telecom sector, India was way behind. We all know the kind of jokes that were going on social media. '2G, 3G, aur fir pata nahi kya kya likha jata tha.'.. We decided that this important technology of the telecom sector should be developed in India. It is a matter of pride for us that BSNL has developed a swadeshi 4G technology...,” said the Prime Minister as quoted by ANI.

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Promises prosperity for Odisha

The Prime Minister said that Odisha, despite having an impressive array of natural resources, has been suffering for decades. However, Modi said, the state will surge ahead in prosperity in this decade.

“Odisha has been immensely gifted by nature. Odisha has seen many decades of suffering, but this decade will take Odisha towards prosperity. This decade is very important for Odisha... The Central government has recently approved two semiconductor units for Odisha... A semiconductor park will also be constructed in Odisha...,” he added.

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Unveiled Rs 60,000 crore projects

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister unveiled development projects valued at more than Rs 60,000 crore in sectors such as telecommunications, railways and higher education, from Odisha's Jharsuguda.

He also laid foundation stones for the expansion of eight IITs across the country, which will create capacity for 10,000 new students over the next four years.

The Prime Minister commissioned more than 97,500 4G telecom towers built with BSNL’s ‘swadeshi’ technology and inaugurated a 5 km flyover in Sambalpur City, built at a cost of Rs 273 crore.

The Prime Minister, during his sixth visit to Odisha in 15 months since the BJP came to power in the state in June 2024, visited Jharsuguda after a gap of seven years. He had come to the town on September 22, 2018, to inaugurate Odisha's second commercial airport.

(With agency inputs)