Varanasi, Mar 13 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the poor need not worry any longer on their treatment as his government is taking care of this through a medical insurance scheme to cover all cost of treatment.

Addressing a public gathering at Dareka grounds in his parliamentary constituency, Modi said the 'Modi sarkar' will give a medical insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per year to the poor through 'Aayushman Bharat' scheme.

As the visiting French president Emanuel Macron was resting at Madesar Palace after a day-long visit to Varanasi, the Prime Minister drove down to Diesel Locomotive Works and handed over certificates, keys and checks to beneficiaries of various government schemes like free houses and women-centric schemes.

He also launched and laid the foundation stones for development schemes worth Rs 800 crore. He also flagged off the 'Janshatabdi Express' from Varanasi to Patna.

He said it was a gift to the people of his constituency, enabling people to reach the Bihar capital in four hours.

On his visit to Mirzapur earlier in the day, where he inaugurated a 75 MW solar plant, Modi said time had come to use sun's energy to light up houses. This, he added, will ensure that no gas is utilised in kitchens and no harm comes to the environment.

He also exhorted students at Indian Institutes of Technology's and said they should explore new things, ideas and innovate.

The Prime Minister inaugurated a 'kachra mahotsava' (garbage festival) and lauded the idea, even urging people to go and see for themselves how waste could be turned into things of use.

He lauded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on what he said was turnaround of the state, saying that earlier central grants were wasted while now projects and schemes have been set rolling and cenral funds were being used.