Sonia Gandhi inaugurates railway plant in her constituency

Rae Bareli: Nobody in the country can acquire land from farmers without their consent following the passage of the Land Acquisition Act, which promises adequate compensation to land losers, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of a forged wheel plant at the Railway Coach factory in Rae Bareli, Sonia sought to highlight the steps taken by UPA to ensure universal benefits for the people. "Our politics has always been for the service of the country and uplift of each and every person... We have been firm on this principle and will continue to remain so," Sonia said in Rae Bareli during a day-long visit to her constituency.

Expressing gratitude for the Steel and Railway Ministries for joining hands for the plant, she made a special request to the officers for its construction to be completed at the earliest. The plant should give priority to local youths in recruitment of its workforce, she said.

"A lot more is needed to be done here... You have lots of expectations from us and that is right. We will like to assure you that whatever we can do, we are doing in full honesty," she said.

Earlier in the day Sonia, laid the foundation stone of the first All India Institute of Medical Sciences complex in Uttar Pradesh. Sonia, who was accompanied by daughter Priyanka, performed "bhoomi pujan" near the old sugar mill at Munshiganj for the project, estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore.

Sonia also visited the District Agriculture Science Centre and launched a Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) training programme. Talking about the UPA government's flagship schemes, she said they had got the revolutionary Food Security Act passed despite several hurdles. The law would benefit 75 per cent of the rural and 50 per cent of the urban population, she said.

Sonia, who was visiting her Lok Sabha constituency after six months, also laid the foundation stone for the city resource centre of the housing and urban poverty alleviation ministry, to be constructed by HUDCO.

The Congress President also went to Gora Bazar where she met the 17-year-old Renu at her residence and enquired about her health. The daughter of a rickshaw puller, Renu has a cleft lip. She was given free treatment under Smile Pinky campaign at SimHans hospital. She also attended a meeting of the district vigilance and monitoring committee.