Narendra Modi: Power is my government's first priority

Nagpur: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that power ranks at the top of his government's priority list.Addressing a public meeting in Nagpur, Modi reminded the audience that his government has focused on improvising power supply in the country right from the day one.“You must have noticed that since the day my government came to power, my first priority has been electricity. Be it in Jammu and Kashmir or any other state, we need to fully utilize the potential to generate power,” said Modi.Emphasizing the need to save power, Modi said, “it's the government's responsibility to harness electricity. But as citizens, it is our responsibility to save energy. We need to save our pockets from high electricity bill. The amount of money we save on saving electricity is more than the amount we spend on harnessing electricity.”Modi also touched the issue of corruption in his speech and promised to get rid of this menace with the help of the people.“Corruption has plagued the country. I am with you to eradicate it forever. When I talk about corruption, some people are perturbed. But those people must realize that people of India have woken up and want a corruption free nation. With your blessing we will be successful in rooting out this disease,” said Narendra Modi. Modi also recalled the famous lines of the legendary freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Swaraj mera janmsiddha adhikar hai (Self-rule is my birthright) - and said that people of Maharashtra firmly believe in this philosophy. He is in Nagpur today to lay the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro station. He will also inaugurate the Mouda Super Thermal Power Project Phase 1 and a flyover on National Highway 6 in Nagpur.Here are live updates of Modi's public meeting in Nagpur: 05: 44 pm: Modi concludes his speech with chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai". 05:41 pm: Modi: Corruption has plagued the country. I am with you to eradicate it forever. When I talk about corruption some people are perturbed. But those people must realize that people of India have woken up and want a corruption free nation. With your blessing we will be successful in rooting out this disease. Bal Gandadhar Tilak had said– Swaraj mera janmsiddha adhikar hai (Self-rule is my birthright). Maharahstra is a state that firmly believes in this. 05:39 pm:Modi: So many of you have come here. NTPC must have organized events like this before too. But this time, people have turned up in such large numbers because the people of this country have chosen the path of development. Whenever you choose this path, you will have many others supporting you. 05:38 pm: Modi: A potter makes pots with mud. But if he has access to electricity, he can make hundreds of pots with less effort and more efficiency. 05:37 pm: Modi: If a farmer has three kids, he will send two to the city to earn a living and will keep one son for agriculture. The farmer understands that his income through farm will not suffice. 05:36 pm: Modi: If you want a comfortable life then work towards development. 05:35 pm: Modi: I want you all to discuss this at home. I expect children to discuss this at school and also make your family members take the vow to save energy. 05:31 pm: Modi: Almost all of us have mobile phones. It's the government's responsibility to harness electricity. But as citizens, it is our responsibility to save energy. We need to save our pockets from high electricity bill. The amount of money we save on saving electricity is more than the amount we spend on harnessing electricity. 05:29 pm: Modi: Our farmers can make gold out of mud, if they have sufficient supply of water. But currently our farmers are totally depended on the monsoons. But the central government in Delhi is working for your development. I have also spoken often about digitization.05:26 pm: Modi: In our country we worship sun god. He is always depicted with horses. For us sun god's horses present themselves in the form of various sources of energy through which we can generate energy. 05: 22 pm: Modi: Previously when I had come to Maharashtra, many farmers had committed suicide because, despite having water, they cannot use it. What could be more shameful for a nation than farmers dying because they don't have electricity. It has become crucial for development. Be it wind mill energy, solar energy, energy from waste products, we need to utilize it all for development. At one point of time, solar energy was expensive but times have changed. We can now easily avail it. We need to promote solar energy so that we can do away with electricity and move towards producing clean energy. 05:19 pm: Unfortunately those places too that are connected with electric grid cannot make use of it. You must have noticed that since the day my government came to power, my first priority has been electricity. Be it in Jammu and Kashmir or any other state, we need to fully utilize the potential to generate power.05:17 pm: Modi: Today farmers use electricity to use their tools. To improve rural lives too, we need electricity. If villages have electricity, then he will want to stay in the village, he will gradually come to love his home. It is our priority to ensure that electricity reaches every household. 05:16 pm: Modi: For any country to develop, it must have good infrastructure. And for that too excellent network of electricity is a must. 05:14 pm: Modi: First of all, I would like to apologize for coming late. Incessant rains delayed me at Nagpur Airport. But after all ,God heard your prayers and stopped the rain.05:13 pm: PM Modi begins his speech (crowd cheers)04:50 pm: Modi has reached the venue04:30 pm: Modi is detained at the airport because of inclement weather. Excessive rains have put halt on his helicopter 04:27 pm: PM Modi arrives at Nagpur airport from RanchiMaharashtra CM Chavan skipped the event as he feared BJP supporters will jeer him the way they did at Solapur last time. Chavan was booed at a public meeting in Solapaur a few days back where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had arrived to inaugurate a power transmission line. Even Haryana Chief Minister B S Hooda had to face a hostile crowd when Modi was in Haryana to lay the foundation stone for a project. Hooda was booed by the crowd who had ears only for their Prime Minister. While Hooda spoke from the dais at a stone- laying ceremony of a highway project at Kaithal on Tuesday, the crowd chanted Modi's name and jeered the Chief Minister. To avoid a repeat of similar embarrassment, Chavan decided to boycott the event all together. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Governor K Sankaranarayanan and Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal.