New Delhi, March 29 (IANS): Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Anurag Thakur on Friday explained how the country has changed in the past decade on various parameters including women empowerment, Sashakt Bharat, a big leap in space and technology while making a vivid analysis between the ‘lethargic’ previous regimes and 10 years of ‘super-active’ governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the Viksit Bharat Ambassador meet-up program in Lucknow, the I&B Minister said that the three mantras of the Modi government – ‘Reform, perform and Transform’ did a great deal in bringing this transformation, with a focus on extending benefits to even the last man standing.
“Much has changed in the last 10 years and the credit for this goes to decisive leadership under the Modi government,” the Minister told the audience at the Vikist Bharat Ambassador meet-up event in Lucknow.
Anurag Thakur explained in detail how the country saw the transition from the Fragile Five to a bright spot, the then ‘disappointing’ economy turning into a ‘progressive’ economy and also the lifting out 25 crore people from below the poverty line.
Anurag Thakur said that the UPA era was marred by a series of scams including 2G scam, the Commonwealth scam, National Herald while the government was remote-controlled by party’s masters. Besides deep-rooted corruption, issues like inflation, and the fiscal deficit marked the previous regimes but all that changed to a great extend under the Modi government.
“India economy which kept languishing for decades is growing at a fast pace and within the next three years, we are set to become the world’s third-largest economy,” the minister said at the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event.
He also urged the participants to don the role of Viksit Bharat Ambassadors and contribute to Viksit Bharat 2047 goal by informing fellow citizens about ‘growth markers’ and bring them along in India’s journey to developed nation.
Reiterating government’s resolve for bettering the lives of women, he listed out several schemes and also enumerated how they got benefitted.
“From toilets to cooking gas to drinking water, women faced huge trouble in all spheres of life. In the last ten years, we have provided free LPG cylinders to 10 crore women, built 12 crore toilets and ensured electricity and drinking water into crores of households,” he said.
“Out of 4 crore pucca houses delivered, 3 crore registered beneficiaries are women. India is one of the few countries to have 26 weeks of maternity leave for women. Over 31 crore funds under Mudra Yojana have been disbursed to women, more than 311 ITI centres have been opened for training them in various fields while 1 crore ‘lakhpati didis’ have emerged,” he further informed.
The Minister further said that the world’s biggest airplane makers like Boeing and Airbus are setting up bases in the country today, with Uttar Pradesh taking the lead in defence establishments.
“Today, Uttar Pradesh alone has over 21 airports, out of which 9 are being developed into international airports,” he told Viksit Bharat participants.
Describing Ram Mandir as a manifestation of a 500-year-old dream, Anurag Thakur said that the Modi government has made a consistent and sustained effort to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure and giving a kick-start to the economy in many new sectors besides revitalising the places of worship.