Prime Minister was addressing a huge gathering of people at Haribai Ki Bawri ground here after laying foundation stone of Dahod-Indore and Chota Udaipur-Dhar rail lines. Talking about the Rojgar Guarantee Scheme, Dr Singh said presently 31 districts of Madhya Pradesh are under the ambit of this scheme and by April 1 this year, all 48 districts of the state will be included under this scheme, which according to him will help alleviate unemployment and starvation. In this regard, he also urged chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to help in the implementation of the law related to this scheme in the state and help the poor.

Apparently with an eye on the ensuing assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister said that the centre had taken several initiatives to improve infrastructure, health services, literacy level among others in the state. The union government has launched the National Rural Health Mission. In Madhya Pradesh so far 38000 womenfolk have been recruited under the Mission and 7000 more women are to be appointed. These 45,000 womenfolk along with the doctors will play key role in improving health of children, housewives and aged persons, Prime Minister said.

Similarly, the centre is helping Madhya Pradesh government in providing mid-day meals to 70 lakh children of the state. Under the `Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan;, Dr Singh said children in villages are encouraged to go schools. To increase literacy among the girl child, the centre has opened 180 Kasturba Gandhi girls schools, the Prime Minister said adding that the centre had also sanctioned a grant of Rs 450 crore under the Backward Region Grant Fund as many areas in the state are backward.

Dr Singh said that under the `Bharat Nirman Yojna', the union government was constructing roads in villages and making available power and telephones even in the remote areas. The centre is also providing enough grant to Madhya Pradesh to connect its villages with roads. So far 2500 villages in the state have been connected with roads with the central government funds.

Talking about the new rail lines, the Prime Minister said with the completion of Dahod-Indore and Chota-Udaipur rail lines, the tribal region of western Madhya Pradesh will witness rapid development. In this regard, he congratulated union railway minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav for making a rapid expansion of rail facilities across the country.

He said the Indian rail was attaching top priority to the western Madhya Pradesh which was lagging behind on developmental front and accordingly metre guage lines are being converted into broad guage. Prime Minister said that construction of Dahod-Indore and Chota Udaipur-Dhar rail lines will provide jobs to the tribals and it will put a break on migration of tribals from this region to other parts of the country. Besides, these rail lines will also help establishment of new industries, thereby giving fillip to the development.

Earlier, the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with state Governor Dr Balram Jhakhar, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, union minister of state for railway, Narayanbhai Rathwa, parliamentary affairs Suresh Pachori, union agriculture minister, Kantilal Bhuria arrived here at 11.40 on Friday by an India Airforce helicopter and thereafter formally laid foundation stone of both the rail projects by pressing a button at the meeting venue.

Krishna K Jha