Lack of sanitation facilities is adversely impacting the development journey of villages, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, adding that facilities available in cities must also be made available to the villages.

“Lack of sanitation facilities is adversely impacting the development journey of villages. That is why we have been working to overcome this and build toilets in rural areas,” Modi said at the birth centenary celebrations of Sangh Parivar veteran Nanaji Deshmukh on his birth anniversary.

Advertisement

“Facilities that are associated with cities must also be made available to our villages,” he added.

Modi further said just having the best ideas for development are not enough and that initiatives have to be completed on time so that the fruits of development reach the intended beneficiaries.

“Strength of a democracy cannot be restricted to how many people vote. Yes, that is important but the real essence of a democracy is Jan Bhagidari and integrating people in the development journey of cities, villages.” he said.

Before his address, Modi paid floral tributes to Deshmukh as well as political leader Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan on their birth anniversaries.

“Today, we pay tributes to the great Loknayak JP and Nanaji Deshmukh, who worked closely with JP. Both these individuals distinguished themselves and devoted their lives towards the betterment of our nation,” he said.

“JP fought corruption in the nation. His leadership rattled those in power that time and during a march he was even attacked. At that time, standing shoulder to shoulder with him was Nanaji Deshmukh,” he added.

“When Janata government was formed in 1977, Nanaji Deshmukh was requested to join the Government as a Minister but he did not do so. He followed JP and preferred to devote himself towards rural development and making our villages self-reliant, free from poverty,” Modi said further.