In Varanasi, PM Modi meets BJP CMs, asks them to showcase ‘how BJP model is transforming states’

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 14

A day he inaugurated his dream project, Sri Kashi Viswanath Dham, held a meeting with BJP chief ministers and made midnight visits around his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday attended a public function for 98th anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan at Swarved Mahamandir Dham in Umraha Gram and chaired a conclave of chief ministers in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

‘Su-raj'(good governance) is as important for the country as ‘swaraj’, the PM said speaking at the Yog Sansthan.

Later, addressing the CMs, the PM is believed to have asked them to focus firmly on good governance, maintain a connect with state leaders and cadres, showcase a “unified BJP family” and “good governance models” of party-ruled states across the country, especially in States going to the polls next year.

Sources said the PM asked the CMs to “showcase good governance works of BJP governments” and “how the BJP model of development is transforming states”. The PM also asked CMs to expedite developmental works by clearing bottlenecks, maintain a timeline of infrastructure projects and ensure that the implementation of welfare schemes is being done in a proper manner and benefits reach the target groups.

According to sources, the Prime Minister took feedback from each of the Chief Ministers regarding development works in respective states and “patiently heard problems and hurdles”.

“The PM was concerned about projects in states going to polls next year and gave inputs on how to expedite them. The meeting gave all of us ample opportunity to discuss issue,” one of the CMs was quoted as saying.

Apparently, the CMs, who also participated in functions and temple visits, will be offering prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya on Wednesday. They have been “asked to visit Ayodhya with spouses for a darshan of Ram Lalla,” the sources said. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya will accompany the CMs on their Ayodhya visit.

The conference was attended by the chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. BJP president JP Nadda was also present.

The sources said CMs gave individual presentations on “good governance”, and projects that helped change lives in their respective states. Discussions were also held on central government projects and their implementation, the COVID pandemic situation and the Omicron variant.

Key points

*The Mukhyamantri Parishad focussed on sharing good governance practices for the betterment of citizens

*PM urged governments to accord topmost priority to ‘Ease of Living’

*Reaffirming the principle of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’, the PM urged states to remove laws that have become archaic and reduce compliance burdens

*The PM called for governance to be data driven to ensure last mile delivery, speed and transparency

*The PM asked the states to work on ‘One District, One Product’ as one of the means to boost economic opportunities and become Aatmanirbhar

*The PM urged on the need to strengthen Poshan Abhiyan and fight the menace of malnutrition and popularising culture of sports and fitness among the youth