Education best way to fight poverty: Modi

More efforts are needed to eradicate poverty in the country and that education "is the best way to fight poverty", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Friday.

"Our efforts to remove poverty over the years have not yielded the results we desired. The speed (of removing poverty) needs to improve," Modi said at a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Varansi city, also his parliamentary constituency.

He said every person wants his or her child to lead a life better than what they had led.

"I urge all of you (in this gathering), whatever circumstances are, ensure that your children receive education. Education is the best (and even the least expensive) way to fight poverty," he said.