Varanasi, Nov 7 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday met 15 people from his parliamentary constituency and listened to their problems. One of them was a woman who had petitioned him for the treatment of her cancer-affected daughter who has lost both her kidneys.

The prime minister met them at his Ravindrapuri office, which was set up to collect petitions from people of his constituency.

Kalyani Mishra, who met Modi later told reporters that she had petitioned the prime minister for help in her daughter's treatment.

Mishra said she was overwhelmed by the way the prime minister not only sympathised with her but also took immediate action.

"The prime minister immediately dialled some officials in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), and directed them to help me on top priority. I never imagined that a prime minister can be so humble and helping," she said misty-eyed.

Others who met the prime minister petitioned him on various issues. Some sought power and water for their villages, some complained of official apathy with regard to their problems and some sought personal help to meet some financial crisis.

Modi adopts a village in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday adopted a village in his Varanasi parliamentary constituency and exhorted its residents to combine their collective strength to educate the children and ensure hygiene.

Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, was accorded a grand welcome at Jayapur village. Village women garlanded him and put a vermillion tika on his forehead.

After a brief interaction with village elders and village head Durga Devi, Modi addressed the enthusiastic gathering, seeking their support in developing the village.

Trashing media reports on the criteria for selecting Jayapur village, the prime minister said the village drew his attention when he came to know that five people had died in a fire here.

"Jo sankat ke samay sambandh bante hain wo rishte chiranjeev hote hain" (The bonds forged during testing times are everlasting)," Modi said.

He then said while the villagers may be expecting grand announcements from him for the village, he will not choose to make them public now and rather do the work. He also sought the support of people in ushering in the change.

"I do not talk big, I was not born like that that. I say small things and do big things," he said while pointing out that if only tall pronouncements by earlier governments had borne fruits, this village would not have in the poor state it is now.

Modi told the villagers that they should combine their collective strength and put it to good use, like educating the children, ensuring hygiene and making cleanliness a family priority, and celebrating birth of a girl child.

Saying that today in fact the village was adopting him as a parliamentarian and not vice versa, Modi said time had come when the people should realize their strength and rather than merely waiting for government help, should come forward to improve their lot.

Jayapur is a typical Uttar Pradesh village with a population of about 4,200. The population has a mix of Brahmins Musahar, Yadavs, Patels, Bhumihars, Bania, Kumhar and Dalits. There is only one primary school in the village and the lone internediate college is about 10 km away. Incidentally the village has no Muslims.

Modi's two-day sojourn is his maiden visit to Varanasi after becoming the prime minister in May this year.