Onus of SC, ST welfare does not lie only with Centre, but with state governments also: Dharmendra Pradhan

Training guns on the Congress Party, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said that the onus of providing welfare to Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes lies with both state governments and the Centre.

Speaking at a press conference, Pradhan said "If the State Government provides land, my companies will invest and bring change in society. Onus of Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe's welfare falls not only on Centre, but on state governments too. The government is hopeful that a new model regarding the use of bio-fuels and developed through indigenous technology would emerge in the coming days."

Hailing Prime Minster Narendra Modi's Government, Pradhan said we work for the upliftment of the country and will always do.

"Being under the Congress rule, they can only shed crocodile tears for the poor. It's not enough. They should work for the upliftment of the country like Prime Minster Narendra Modi's Government who has done that," Pradhan said.

Further taking a jibe at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Pradhan asserted that rest of the year he stays at his grandmother's place and when he visits India then questions Modi on the development in the country.

"There's a gentleman (Rahul Gandhi) who visits India time to time but prefers staying at his grandmother's place for rest of the year. Whenever he comes to India; he inquires about what is Modi government doing for the poor. I want to tell him we provide petrol pumps under our welfare scheme," Pradhan added.