In two letters addressing the nation and highlighting achievements of his government, which completed its first year in power on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out how the NDA has put the economy back on track, contained inflation and fiscal deficit, among other reforms.
"We assumed office at a time when confidence in the India story was waning. Un-abated corruption and indecisiveness had paralysed the government. People had been left helpless against ever-climbing inflation and economic insecurity. Urgent and decisive action was needed," he wrote.
The erstwhile Gujarat chief minister came to power last year promising to transform the economy and bring ‘achche din’ for the country. While the year was marked by incremental reforms, there were no big bang measures as the markets had expected. Modi, in his letters, tried his best to address these expectations while maintaining that he would continue to work towards a better India. "However, this is just a beginning. There is much more to be done and I know your expectations are high. A year ago, I gave you my word that while I might perhaps commit errors, I would always act with pure intentions and spend every available moment working for a better India," he added.
The prime minister also highlighted the government’s intent to promote cooperative and competitive federalism while highlighting that the government’s work towards deregulating diesel, improving ease of doing business and the benefits of Direct Benefit Transfers and PAHAL. He also pointed towards the government’s initiatives to improve infrastructure by setting up National Infrastructure Investment Fund with a funding of Rs 20,000 crore.
In addition, Modi lauded the efforts of his government to curb black money and reducing political interference in system to work towards a more transparent system of governance.
While the government has been targeted for taking a pro-business stance and not taking into account the poor in the process of growth, Modi in his letter highlighted the government’s initiatives to include the bottom-of-the-pyramid in the growth cycle. The prime minister highlighted the government’s work in Jan Dhan Yojna which he termed as the world’s largest financial inclusion project. Modi credited his government for bringing banking to the doorsteps of the poor, opening more than 15 crore bank accounts with deposits of over Rs 15,800 crore. He also mentioned the achievement of the pension, life insurance and accident insurance, having already witnessed 6.75 crore enrollments in the first week of launch this month.
Modi also mentioned the government’s work towards initiating the smart city project and the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan while highlighting the efforts the government has taken to rejuvenate a languishing economy, building on stable, policy-driven proactive governance.
"Economic growth benefits all Indians. Growth, however, has meaning only if it empowers the poor, farmers, women as well as middle and neo-middle classes of all communities. Guided by the principle of Antyodaya, our government is dedicated to the poor, marginalised and those left behind," Modi said.
