Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a dig at his predecessors alleging that they neglected developments in border areas for fear of infiltration of enemies.

After laying the foundation stones for Rs 4,200 crore developmental projects in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, Modi said his government was committed to making India a viksit Bharat (developed India).

Addressing a huge gathering, the prime minister said the development of border areas is a priority for his government which, he said, resulted in creating multiple facilities for the local public.

He attacked his predecessors alleging that their advocacy for keeping the border areas backwaters was unfounded and on a false premise. He said, “Past governments did not develop border areas as they feared enemy infiltration and usurping of our territories. How illogical the argument was!”

“New India neither fears anything nor does it cause fear in others,” the prime minister asserted as he spoke about the infrastructure developments taking place in Uttarakhand and other border areas of the country.

“One of the priorities of the government is the development of border areas. New services are being developed at a fast pace here,” he added.

“Every village in Uttarakhand produces those who protect India’s borders. It is this government that fulfilled their decade-old demand of one rank one pension (OROP),” he said.

The PM informed that more than Rs 70,000 crore has been transferred to former soldiers under the OROP benefiting more than 75,000 families. He claimed that more than 4,200 km of roads, 250 bridges and 22 tunnels have been built in border areas in the last 9 years.

Besides OROP, Modi claimed his government ensured legalisation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliamentary and assembly polls.

He said the vibrant village scheme of the Centre has turned the last villages into the first villages of the country. “Our effort is to bring back people who have left these villages. We want to increase tourism in these villages,” said the prime minister.

He said people had to leave their homes for wrong policies of the past with regard to water, medicine, roads, education and medical facilities.

The prime minister laid the foundation stones and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth Rs 4,200 crore for rural development, road, power, irrigation, drinking water, horticulture, education, health and disaster management among others in Pithoragarh hill region.

Recounting his government’s other achievements, the PM said the world was amazed over how 13.5 crore people of Indian have overcome the shackles of poverty in the past nine years.

Modi pointed out that the previous governments coined the slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’ but it’s ‘Modi’ who says that poverty can be uprooted by owning and taking its responsibility. “Together we can eradicate poverty,” he emphasized.

Modi, “The place where Chandrayan landed has been named Shiv Shakti and the identity of Uttarakhand is now on the moon.”

With his day-long Pithoragarh visit, Modi became the first prime minister to visit Adi Kailash located along Nepal and China borders. “I always feel blessed when I am in Uttarakhand amongst you,” he remarked.

Earlier, he performed pooja and darshan at the Parvati Kund and had deep site seeing of the mount Adi Kailash before moving to yemple town Jageshwar in Almora. Modi stated that besides Badrinath and Kedarnath circuits of pilgrimages and tourism his government will develop third big Manas Khand tourists circuit in Kumaon region. He said this will attract large number of tourists to this part pf the state.