`In last 8 years, not even once did I see myself as PM, but only when...`: Modi in Shimla

Accompanied by Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur at a rally in Shimla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said that now our borders are more secure than they were before 2014.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (May 31, 2022) addressed a rally at the Ridge Maidan in Shimla to mark the eighth anniversary of his government. While addressing the 'Garib Kalyan Sammelan', Modi said that in the last eight years, he did not "even once" see himself as a PM, but only when he has to sign documents. 

"In last 8 years... not even once did I envision myself as PM. Only when I sign documents do I have the responsibility of PM but as soon as the file is gone, I'm no longer a PM...I'm just a Pradhan Sevak of 130 cr people who're everything in my life and my life is also for you," he said. 

Accompanied by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur ahead of the state Assembly election scheduled to be held later this year, PM Modi said that now our borders are more secure than they were before 2014.

He also stated that poverty is decreasing in India.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi also released Rs 21,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. The Tuesday transfer is the 11th instalment under the PM-KISAN scheme. He also interacted with beneficiaries of different government schemes at the event to mark the eighth anniversary of the NDA government at the Centre.

During the Sammelan, Prime Minister also sought feedback about the various welfare programmes being run by the government from public representatives across the country.