New Delhi, Dec 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram, the five states where assembly elections were held recently.

The yatra started in other states earlier, and its launch in the five states were delayed due to the model code of conduct in place due to the elections.

After flagging off the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in the 5 states, PM Modi said, "For the resolution of developed India, our cities have a huge role. For a long time after independence, development was limited to a few big cities. But today, we are focusing on the development of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities."

"Under the Amirt Mission or SMART City Mission, basic facilities are being improved in the small cities. We are trying to ensure that facilities like water supply, drainage, sewage systems, traffic systems, CCTV networks, etc. are upgraded constantly," he said.

"Cleanliness, public toilets, and LED street lights are also being worked upon for the first time on this level. This has a direct impact on ease of living and ease of doing business," added the PM.

Talking about the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra further, the Prime Minister said, "With the vision of a developed India, Modi's guaranteed vehicle is reaching every corner of the country. It's been a month since we started this journey. In just one month, this journey has reached thousands of villages as well as 1,500 cities."

The yatra has been flagged off in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram, also beginning today. The launch of VBSY got delayed due to the model code of conduct in place due to the elections.

"I request every state government to expand the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra rapidly in their respective states. Even though Modi has flagged off the yatra, the truth is that the countrymen have taken command of that journey all by themselves," said the PM.

Earlier, during the virtual interaction with the beneficiaries of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, "It was PM Modi's concern that no one should be left behind. Many people do 'yatra'. Some for physical benefits and some for personal gains, but this 'yatra' is such that it is for the benefit of the 140 crore people of the country."

Interacting with the beneficiaries of the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra', PM Modi inquired about their experiences, discussed what schemes benefitted them and also asked if they faced any hurdles while receiving the benefits of the central government's schemes.

The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra was launched by the Prime Minister on November 15 in Khunti, Jharkhand.

As a part of on-the-spot services under the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, health camps are being organised at the places of the halt of the IEC Van in the Gram Panchayats.

Read More: National News

The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is a nationwide initiative to inform and empower citizens about government schemes.
It is being undertaken across the country to attain the saturation of flagship schemes of the government by ensuring that the benefits of these schemes reach all targeted beneficiaries in a time-bound manner.

As of November 26, 5,470 Health camps have been conducted in 995 Gram Panchayats, reporting a total footfall of more than 7,82,000 people, according to a government release. (ANI)

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