PM Modi launches 10,000 FPO, lays foundation of Bundelkhand Expressway in UP's Chitrakoot

Chitrakoot: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (February 29, 2020) launched a campaign to set up 10,000 new farmer producer organisations (FPOs) across the country in the next five years. The announcement was made by PM Modi while addressing a rally in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh where he commemorated the first anniversary of the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.

PM Modi said that a new FPO will be set up to increase the income of the farmers and to empower them. This will enable the farmers to market and process the crops along with producing them. He said an amount of Rs 5,000 crore will be spent on this campaign for the next five years. 

During his visit to Uttar Pradesh PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the 296-km-long Bundelkhand Expressway and said it will prove to be the development expressway of the region and will provide employment to many. Giving details of the project, PM said, "The Bundelkhand Expressway, which will be built at a cost of about Rs 15,000 crore will create thousands of employment opportunities here and will also connect the common man with a facility like big cities."

He further asserted, "This project will take Bundelkhand on the path of development, it will prove to be the development expressway of the region and definitely change peoples lives in this entire region."

PM Modi was accompanied by UP CM  Yogi Adityanath who lauded the step of government and said that the Bundelkhand Expressway is going to benefit the farmers of the region.

Announcing some other beneficiaries for the farmers, PM Modi launched Kisan credit cards and said that the be launching a saturation drive for distribution of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Over 6.5 Crore of the approximately 8.5 Crore beneficiaries under PM-KISAN Scheme possesses the Kisan Credit Cards.

Prior to his Chitrakoot visit, PM Modi visited a distribution camp in Prayagraj and distributed assistive aids and devices to senior citizens and the differently-abled. In the mega camp, over 56,000 assistive aid and devices of different types will be distributed free of cost to over 26,000 of beneficiaries.

Addressing the crowd PM said, "Coming to Prayagraj have always given a feeling of purity and energy. I had come to this holy land in February last year during the Kumbh. Then, I had got a fortune by taking a dip in the Sangam river.''

PM Modi attended several programmes which were focused on social empowerment, infrastructure and farmers welfare in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.