Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took a veiled dig at Congress, saying that those who had no time to spare for 18,000 villages living in darkness even 60 years after Independence are accusing him of working for the wealthy.

At the foundation laying ceremony of various projects in Sindri, Jharkhand, PM Modi said that those who accuse him of working for the rich should answer if people with a lot of money lived in the 18,000 villages where his government has provided power for the first time since Independence.

PM Modi laid foundations for revival of Sindri Fertiliser Project of Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Ltd, Ranchi City Gas Distribution Project by GAIL, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Deoghar, Development of Deoghar Airport and Patratu Super Thermal Power Project. PM Modi also witnessed the exchange of MoUs for Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

While addressing the gathering at the event, PM Modi paid homage to Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He said that the state government and the Union government are working together for the development of Jharkhand.

I begin by paying homage to Bhagwan Birsa Munda. This land of Jharkhand is a land of courage: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 25, 2018

He said the total cost of the projects, for which foundation stones have been laid today, is Rs 27,000 crore, while adding these development projects will give opportunities to the youth of Jharkhand.

The Central Government is devoting significant resources for the empowerment of the power, Dalits and Tribal communities.

Today, we have laid the foundation stone for five big projects. The total cost of these projects is Rs. 27,000 crore: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 25, 2018

PM Modi said that when he assumed office, there were 18,000 villages lacking access to electricity. “We worked to brighten the lives of people in these villages and took electricity there. Now, we have gone a step further and we are ensuring every household in India has access to electricity,” PM Modi said.

When we assumed office there were 18,000 villages lacking access to electricity. We worked to brighten the lives of people in these villages and took electricity there: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 25, 2018

PM Modi said fertiliser plants which had stopped working are in the process of being revived. Eastern India will gain the most from this, he added.

The Prime Minister said that the healthcare sector in the state will be transformed with the establishment of AIIMS in Jharkhand. The poor will get access to top quality healthcare, he added.

The holy land of Deoghar will get a state-of-the-art airport and AIIMS: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 25, 2018

The coming of AIIMS will transform the healthcare sector in Jharkhand. The poor will get access to top quality healthcare: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 25, 2018

The Prime Minister said that it is the the Union Government that has made air-travel accessible and affordable.

It is our Government that has made aviation accessible and affordable. We want more Indians to fly. Better connectivity will also improve tourism: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 25, 2018

PM Narendra Modi also laid the foundation stone for the 2400MW first phase of NTPC’s Patratu Super Thermal Power Project in Jharkhand.

The project is a 74: 26 Joint venture between government of Jharkhand and Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. (PVUN), a subsidiary company of NTPC establishing a total capacity expansion of 4,000MW.

NTPC’s PVUNL is set to develop the project in two phases — 2,400 MW (3x800MW) in Phase-I and 1,600 MW (2×800 MW) in Phase-II — which will be developed later.

This project will allocate 85 per cent of the power to Jharkhand that will benefit the state in the long run and help in the economic growth of the region. Under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya) scheme, this project will ensure providing 24×7 power availability to the households.