Every Indian should have a house by 2022: Modi

Nagpur, April 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that every Indian should have a house by 2022, on the 75th anniversary of the country's Independence, and the government was working in this direction.

The Prime Minister, who inaugurated various development works here to mark the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, said the people of the country should strive to fulfil the dreams of freedom fighters.

He said each and every Indian should have a house in the next five years.

"We have a dream for 2022. The poorest of poor should have a house of his own. And that house must be equipped with electricity, water and other facilities. There should be hospitals and schools in the neighbourhood," Modi said.

Referring to Ambedkar, Modi said he did not have a trace of bitterness or revenge in him despite facing struggles in his life.

Earlier, Modi paid homage to the architect of the Indian Constitution, Bharat Ratna Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar on the occasion of his 126th birth anniversary here on Friday.

Arriving here on a daylong visit for various engagements, Modi started his day with a visit to the historic monument, Deekshabhoomi, where Babasaheb Ambedkar and over 600,000 followers had embraced Buddhism on October 14, 1956.

This 'Dharmantar' is considered the biggest mass religious conversion at a single location in history that took place 61 years ago.

Modi, accompanied by Union Minister Ramdas Athawale and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, went around the Deekshabhoomi and later garlanded a large bust of Babasaheb Ambedkar installed there.

A series of functions has been organised to mark the Ambedkar Jayanti on Friday across Maharashtra, including at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur and Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai, where Babasaheb Ambedkar was cremated following his death on December 6, 1956.

Born on April 14, 1891, Babasaheb Ambedkar was the first Law Minister of the Independent India, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution who dedicated his life for the uplift of Dalits, women and labourers, and was posthumously conferred the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1990.