New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone of various development projects in Palamu, Jharkhand. 

Addressing a public meeting in Palamu, Modi lashed out at the Congress for not working for the welfare of the farmers, and the delay in completing the Mandal dam project was proof of that.

“Farmers are a vote bank for Congress, and for us, farmers are our food providers. This is the difference between the Congress and BJP,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi said that the Congress is misleading the farmers of the nation in the name of loan waivers.

“There wouldn't have been a need for farmers to take loans had the previous Congress governments completed the projects that were meant to benefit farmers. First, they forced farmers to take loans, now they're misleading them in the name of loan waivers,” he said.

Modi also thanked the Bihar and the Jharkhand governments for working towards the interests of the farmers' community.

"I am glad that foundations of several development projects to the tune of Rs 3,500 crore were laid here today. The projects will help in realising our vision of doubling farmers' income," Modi said.

The Rs 2,391.36 crore Mandal dam that the Prime Minister inaugurated today will provide irrigation to 19,604 hectares in Palamau and Garhwa districts. The Mandal dam, work on which began in 1972, but has been stalled since 1993, will be built on North Koel river under Barwadih block in Latehar district.

As the 2019 Lok Sabha elections inch closer, the BJP government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a win, as the recent Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan announced loan waiver plans shortly after taking over.

The BJP had earlier released this infographic after the Prime Minister's visit to the Northeast and inauguration of various infrastructure projects, including a few for the farm sector.