Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the “age of honesty” has started in India under the BJP rule. Talking about his fight against corruption and black money, Modi said at Sahebganj in Jharkhand: “The poor of India want to lead a life of dignity and they want opportunities to prove themselves. I have faith in their skills. Those who have looted the poor will have to return to the poor what they have looted. I need your blessings for this.”

“‘Imandari Ka Yug’ (age of honesty) has started in India. A good life can be led even without looting the poor,” he added.

The PM inaugurated a number of projects at Sahebganj. The most important project was a multi-modal terminal on river Ganga, which is an important part of the proposed over 1100-km Varanasi-Haldia river waterway. The proposed waterway will play an important role in the movement of goods and services on river Ganga.

PM Modi started his address in the local language, greeting everyone with “Johar”.

Modi said this is for the first time when so many development projects have been inaugurated on a single day for the benefit of Santhal region of Jharkhand. He further said, “We will be able to help common people of the region with a fast-paced development.”

Among several projects, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for a four-lane bridge on river Ganga in Sahebganj which will connect Bihar and Jharkhand. PM said this is biggest bridge that would not just connect Jharkhand with Bihar but to the rest of the country.

PM also laid the foundation stone for a Multi-modal terminal on the river Ganga in Jharkhand. This is an important component of the proposed over 1100-km long national waterway between Varanasi and Haldia. This is a part of the development of the National Waterway-1 from Varanasi to Haldia. It will have a cargo handling capacity of 2.24 million tonnes per annum. The project will lead to the creation of business and employment opportunities in Jharkhand. It will also benefit rural areas in Jharkhand.

“This project will connect Jharkhand with the rest of the world…We have built railways and airways. But the only problem was waterways. This project will change that,” PM said.

“Maa Ganga has given a lot to us. Now, Maa Ganga is paving the way for development,” PM added.

PM Modi also inaugurated Govindpur-Jamtara-Dumka-Sahebganj Highway. He said this road will prove to be a road of development of even the poorest people in Santhal region.

The third project for which PM Modi laid the foundation stone was for setting up of Solar Power Facility on the Sahebganj District Court premises and Sahebganj District Hospital.

During the speech, PM Modi once again appealed to people to contribute towards the formation of ‘New India’ by 2022.