Modi seeks clear mandate in Jharkhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday urged the people of Jharkhand to give a clear mandate in upcoming assembly elections in the state.

"In the life of boys and girls, the 13-18 years period is crucial. Jharkhand is 13 years old. People should give a clear mandate to shape up the state," Modi told a meeting here.

"My government is taking one decision after another very fast. We are able to do this because people gave a clear mandate to us," he added. A stable government can perform, he said.

Modi flew into Ranchi to inaugurate the transmission line of the Power Grid Corp of India Ltd (PGCIL) situated at Bero in Ranchi.

The Bero grid has been built at a cost of Rs.1,600 crore.

He also laid the foundation stone for a 2,000-MW power plant of the National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) in North Karanpura. He also inaugurated four other projects or laid foundation stones.

The prime minister expressed unhappiness over a power plant project in North Karanpura which has been pending for 15 years.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee "laid the foundation stone of the project but no work was done in the past 10 years," he said, referring to the decade of Congress rule. I will complete the project, he said.

"Vajpayeeji created Jharkhand so that it could play a vital role in the development of the country. Jharkhand is a naturally rich state and has the potential to become a developed state."

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren faced some awkward moments as Bharatiya Janata Party activists raised slogans hailing Modi, while he was speaking.

Modi asserted that if India has to emerge as a developed nation, then no part of the country can remain weak and underdeveloped.

The prime minister said eastern India has remained underdeveloped, and growth should be balanced across north, south, east and west - so that common people across the country can enjoy the fruits of development in equal measure.

Modi stressed the need for the country's uniform development. He also reiterated his government's plans for a digital India.

He was addressing a gathering after launching the National Digital Literacy Mission in Ranchi.

The prime minister emphasised that if India has to be developed, its states have to be developed. He referred to Wednesday's cabinet decision to increase royalty rates on minerals. He said that this decision would benefit Jharkhand enormously.

He also announced that work would commence shortly on the Jagdishpur-Phoolpur-Haldia gas pipeline - which would become a major source of energy for eastern India.