New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come as a messiah for the poor, and he understands their pain.

While addressing the beneficiaries of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) schemes, he praised the prime minister for the 'Lakhpati Didi' scheme, which is aimed at training women in self-help groups (SHGs) so they earn a sustainable monthly income of at least Rs 1 lakh.

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These beneficiaries have come to Delhi to witness the Republic Day parade.

"Banks have given Rs 8.12 lakh crores to SHGs, this happened because of Narendra Modi," Singh said. "I believe today, Narendra Modi has come as a messiah for the poor. He is like a God for poor."

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It has been 75 years since Independence. Nobody thought women in the villages should have an income, he said, adding, "Fourteen crore toilets have been constructed ... If anyone thought about the dignity of women it is Narendra Modi. He called the toilets 'Ijjat Ghar'."

"Just as Shri Ram came for the deliverance of Ahilya, Narendra Modi has come for the deliverance of the poor," he said.

He also took a dig at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi without naming him.

"There is a leader who is doing yatra these days. He visited Kalavati to experience poverty. He went to see truck drivers, coolies at the station... But Narendra Modi has not learnt about poverty from Kalavati. He was born in a poor family, his mother used to work in houses, his father used to sell tea at a railway station," Singh said.

"Did anyone invite poor people from villages to witness the Republic Day parade ever before?" he said.

The minister also asked the beneficiaries if they were planning to visit Ayodhya soon, and the audience joined him in raising 'Jai Siya Ram' and 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)