Centre's money siphoned off: PM Modi

IMPHAL: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said funds sent to the state by the Centre had been siphoned off and accused Congress of looting the state. "Money has come here for many development projects, but it has gone to someone's house," he said. The PM compared Sikkim with Manipur and said the former was developed as it did not have a Congress government. "Other NE states which are ruled by Congress are lagging behind," he said.Modi accused Congress leaders of looting money from the state and sending it to Delhi to run the party. "You ask anyone here, there is a fixed bribe rate for getting government jobs. Teacher, constable, clerk, cook, all have a price tag," he said amid huge applause. He added that the country could not prosper without the development of the NE and that as soon as he had come to power in 2014, his first task had been to push through the 'Act East Policy'.Highlighting his concern for the region, Modi said he was the first PM after Morarji Desai to have attended a meet of the NEC.