P Chidambaram, Former Union Finance Minister :

On the day that the PM claimed that “electricity has reached all villages”, we read the news that steps are being taken on a ‘war footing basis’ to take electricity to one of the hamlets in the native village of Presidential candidate Smt Murmu!

This is not the only hamlet or village that does not have electricity. There is no shame in admitting that electricity has yet to reach several remote areas and villages of India There is no shame in admitting that several thousand households in India do not have electricity.

What we have achieved in the last 75 years is indeed impressive, but reaching essential services to all parts of India is always ‘work in progress’.

The PM should have acknowledged the tremendous achievements by 2004 and that his government is only continuing the work of previous governments.