We live in a new nonstop India. Every Indian now believes he has a role in nation building. Every state and its organs strive for development and to improve the life of people. The transformation India longed for is happening on a daily basis. When did it begin and how? The answer would unfold the story of three years of Narendra Modi government.
In reality, the transformation began even before Modi assumed the office of the prime minister. It started in mid-September 2013, when Modi set out for the largest mass outreach in the nation’s electoral history. The nation was reeling under corruption, scams, and crony capitalism. The common man had fallen to the depths of despair.
The general mood was one, which lacked trust. There was frustration and anger. Criss-crossing 25 states, he traveled three lakh kilometers to address people and to instil hope. He told them of a new India and inclusive development. Modi showed us the reset button of our mind. As we pressed it and regained optimism, he walked in with a huge mandate.
Three years on, we have a government that leads its 125 crore population to ensure that no one is left out or left behind. We ensure that the theme, 'Sabka saath sabka vikasm,' (together with all, development for all) is accomplished. The PM, on his first Independence Day speech, said, “Just Imagine, when 125 crore countrymen move one step forward, then nation moves 125 crore steps forward.”
The government works continuously to achieve inclusive growth and skill development of the common man. Roughly, 40 schemes are rolled out for skill development, healthcare, family welfare, infrastructure development, and to encourage start-ups and digitization. The country now has a separate ministry for skill development and entrepreneurship.
On behalf of his team, the PM had said so: “If you work for 12 hours, the government would work 13 hours.” Recently, a remark by a citizen hogged the headlines. Someone casually asked him if he works for Modi. He smiled and replied, “No dear, he works for me.”
Modi had internally reset the Prime Minister’s Office as the workplace of the prime servant. The concept restored the actual role of the government, true to the spirit of our constitution.
Now, we have all the ministries at the service of the common man. Power brokers were booted out from corridors. The government adopted the policy of 'minimum governance' to facilitate economic activity and enable 'ease of doing business.' At the same time, it pushed maximum governance in core areas of infrastructure development, transport, education, sanitation, and health care. The transformation was tangible, irresistible, and infectious.
In three years, the concept has sunk in so well that people have started making the best use of the change. Was this the India we had before the Modi era? Honesty and transparency in administration were restored. Alongside, e-governance took over. The Jhan Dhan Yojana for financial inclusion has now crossed 28 crore accounts.
The country has a total database of 120 crore bank accounts and 90 crore mobile numbers. Aadhaar enrollment touched around 112 crore. The government introduced JAM trinity - linking bank accounts, Aadhaar and mobile numbers of citizens for improved inclusion and direct benefits transfer. The plan has plugged the misuse of government schemes and the leakage of subsidies.
The PM's 56 foreign trips helped improve a lot more than bilateral relations. Promising easier business environment to global investors and advocating Make in India paid rich dividends. The country saw tremendous increase in inflow of Foreign Direct Investment.
Remarkably, Modi pressed another crucial reset button during his foreign trips. India had only limited engagement with a scattered 250 crore people of Indian origin living abroad. He galvanized India’s expatriate population to become an extension of India abroad. The Indian diaspora has now become the workforce for India’s political and economic empowerment globally. A population dissociated and treated earlier as brain drain magically turned into brain gain for us.
Memories of November 8, 2016, the day the PM pressed the demonetization button to reset the economy are still afresh. In one blow, he detoxed the country infested with four major evils: (a) Parallel economies that ran on unaccounted black money; (b) corruption and tax evasion that constituted theft of public money; (c) counterfeit currency; and (d) Terror financing.
Materializing the easy-to-do business destination as promised, the historic tax reform, Goods and Services Tax (GST), is being rolled out. GST simplifies the tax structure and compliance, subsuming and replacing a slew of indirect taxes imposed by the center and states. The era of retrospective taxation has also ended.
In addition, the Niti Ayog, which replaced the Planning commission, focuses on global standards and time-bound and outcome-based monitoring that motivates states to compete in development and good governance.
With a union government that tirelessly explores every road to prosperity, the nation’s achievements are innumerable. The three years have witnessed huge systemic reforms on all fronts, which in turn took the country’s growth to new heights. The real harvest season is only beginning.
(The author is a B JP national executive member and the party's former state president)
