A day after he spent his 65th birthday at a war exhibition - and posed in a soldier's cut-out complete with fatigues and a gun - Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to do battle with time as he meets 40 delegations in just 90 minutes in Varanasi this afternoon.


PM Narendra Modi began his visit in his Lok Sabha constituency by attending an event where he distributed E-rickshaws, reports NDTV.


Addressing the gathering, he said education is the best way to fight poverty. "I urge all of you (in this gathering)...whatever the circumstances...ensure that your children receive education. Education is the best and the least expensive way to fight poverty," he said.


Later in the day, he is expected to launch a clutch of road and power projects including a ring road that is expected to ease the congestion in the city, and also inaugurate a trauma centre at the Banaras Hindu University that he could not do in July.


Twice this year, the PM had to cancel trips because of heavy rain and those organising the functions that he will attend today in a packed seven-hour schedule, have been looking heavenwards all this week, hoping that there will not be another washout. The weatherman says that while the sky is overcast in many parts of eastern UP, there should be no more than a drizzle.


The PM had to cancel visits in June and July. The PM's supporters in Varanasi plan to gift him with a "Swachchh (clean) Kashi" for his birthday.


With the PM in his 66th year, the BJP supporters plan to distribute 660 dustbins to boatmen who ferry pilgrims and tourists across the river Ganga. They also plan to give away 6600 "hygiene kits" with toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo etc to daily wagers in the city.


The Swachchh Bharat or Clean India mission is very close to the PM's heart.   PM Modi's visit is expected to find political resonance a little over 100 km from Varanasi in Bihar, where assembly elections will be held from mid-October.


The Prime Minister is leading the BJP's campaign against the Nitish Kumar-Lalu Yadav-Congress alliance. There is more than usual security in Varanasi today on account of thousands of protesting teachers on contract reaching the city to try and meet the PM.