Prime Minister Narendra Modi graced CNN-News18’s Rising Bharat Summit on Wednesday where he discussed the welfare steps taken by his government, the crackdown on corruption, upcoming elections, and more.
Here’s the full transcript of the prime minister’s speech:
When I participated in the summit five years ago, one must have thought about that moment; what must be the reason behind the commitment-bound poise with so much going on in the background which became very big news the next day. I am sure you will analyse this in the future. That was February 28, 2019 — the day I departed from here after greeting everyone. That night we conducted the Balakot airstrike.
That was a day to remember, and here we are at this juncture. You must have seen that nations, both who promote terrorism and who are peace-loving, have experienced the rising Bharat. This new India doesn’t tolerate the wounds of terrorism. On the contrary, it gives a befitting response to them. The country and the whole world are witnesses to what has become of the people who sponsored terrorism. A secure nation is the basis for becoming a developed nation. And this is what defined today’s Rising Bharat.
Friends, it’s the season of elections, and the dates have been announced. During your summit, many expressed their views. Debates are taking place in full swing. The pace of election campaigning is also picking up. The government is presenting its report for the work done in the past ten years. We are making a roadmap for the next 25 years and planning ahead for the first 100 days of our third term.
When we look at our opposition, they too are creating new records. Today, they abused me for the 104th time. They have graced me with the Aurangzeb jibe. They have also announced a bid to blow my head off. Amid this positive and negative chatter, the world’s largest election is underway. More than 2,600 political parties, nearly 97 crores voters, nearly 2 crore first-time voters are taking part in the festival of democracy.
As the mother of democracy, for every Indian, whether sitting here in the hall or watching on TV screens, it’s a matter of pride. The world today recognises the 21st century as the century of India. Well-known rating agencies, renowned economists, and other experts are reassured about the growth prospects of Bharat. There are no ifs or buts in their minds. Ever wondered why they don’t have any doubt? It’s because the whole world is witnessing how India has seen big transformations for the last 10 years. It wasn’t an easy task to change the system and the world culture created after Independence. But it happened, and we Indians have made it possible.
Today, the confidence level of India is reflected in each and every Indian. We are talking about a self-reliant India and a self-sufficient India. Whether people are sitting in the opposition, within the country or outside, everyone is witnessing the achievements of India. In a span of 10 years, 25 crore people managed to escape poverty. This is no mean feat. Moving from the 11th spot to the 5th spot in just 10 years is no mean feat. India’s significant rise in forex reserves to US$700 Billion is no mean feat. And in just 10 years, India’s exports crossed US$700 Billion. This is nothing compared to what lies ahead (for Bharat).
Friends, many renowned journalists are present here today, along with people from the industry, civil society, and political field. You have been witnessing how bureaucracy used to function. Ever wondered what was the factor behind the change being witnessed today? That one factor is right intention. Right intention helps deliver right results. (Neeyat sahi toh kaam sahi).
Why should my nation be described as a poor country when it doesn’t fall short in any category? We are one of the youngest countries in the world. We were once ahead in the fields of knowledge and science. There is no reason in the world why India should remain behind any country. We must only stride forward with the ‘Nation First’ intent in our minds. This slight difference — between merely living in the country and doing one’s small part for its welfare — is all it takes to take the country forward.
The day you align your work/goal with the country’s — regardless of whether you are a doctor or something else — is the day you align yourself with the nation. Consider that day as the sowing of the ‘nation first’ seed within you. This very seed of “nation first” is the basis for rising Bharat today. A life lived for one’s sake, is not a life worth living. If you want to live, live for the nation. And if you were to die, die for the nation’s sake.
Friends, there is one much less talked about change that sets the present time apart from the pre-2014 era. This change is linked to the country’s goodwill (Saakh). A country whose goodwill is declining cannot have self-respect. Before 2014, try to remember the state in which Bharat was. In every household, corruption was a big issue and the goodwill of the country was declining. But the government of that time used to defend itself under the guise of false arguments.
Today, the situation is entirely different. The government is taking strict action on corruption with accountability. Corrupt people are on the defensive. In the past, questions were raised about why ED and CBI didn’t take action against powerful people. Today, powerful people are asking why they are being targeted. This difference has been observed over the past ten years. So, as the saying goes, ‘right intention helps deliver right results’.
Action against corruption is my commitment. Friends, earlier, our country was marred with corruption because government offices had become power centres in instead of service centres. For every task, people had to frequent public offices. We turned the government offices from power centres to service centres. Most of the purchases done by the government today are conducted via the JEM portal. Government tenders are mostly issued online.
Remember, the level of corruption witnessed for small services like 2G. Imagine what they could have done if 5G had come during that period. Previously, corrupt people used to concoct with all sorts of corrupt schemes. Our government is dealing with such corrupt people using technology. Today, we manage to get hold of corrupt people with ease. Hiding money and cash trails has become increasingly harder. That’s why piles of cash are discovered from the walls of bureaucrats, and crores of money are found at the homes of Congress and TMC lawmakers. That’s why they are all trembling with fear. And why is this happening? As the saying goes ‘right intention helps deliver right results’.
We all remember when one of the leaders acknowledged how welfare money was being siphoned off. This sort of corruption was affecting the rank and file. MNREGA funds meant for labourers were channelled to other places. Gas subsidies were transferred to unknown accounts. One had to bribe for their own scholarship. This used to suit people in government who were here before us. But friends, we have managed to put an end to the loot of government coffers. We have formed the trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and mobile. By means of direct benefit transfer (DBT), we have delivered Rs 34 lakh crore directly to beneficiaries. Had it been the old regime, the government would have easily lost close to Rs 27 or Rs 28 lakh crore to fake beneficiaries who were never even born but were alive on paper. We have expunged 10 crore such names.
You will be surprised to hear that we managed to root out four crore fake ration cards. Imagine for a second, the scale of corruption, how poor people were being ripped off. Try to imagine the faces of the poor people who were meant to receive this ration but never got it. They would rue the government and their fate. Today, our government has delivered one nation and one ration card to that poor. Government is now giving a fair share of ration to that poor household. Today, when the poor bless me, opposition gets riled up. Not only me, but they abuse the poor as well. But abuses can do me no harm. Because the country has made up its mind. “Phir ek baar (crowd says: Modi sarkar).” “Phir ek baar (crowd says: Modi sarkar).”
Friends, from day one, our governance has been centered on the dignity, welfare, and empowerment of the poor. Open defecation, sleeping on the streets, drinking contaminated water, living in the dark — this was not a life lived by choice.
People sitting here in the audience can’t even fathom what life they lived. But I have reached this stage after going through that phase and living that life. That’s why all flagship government schemes seek to eradicate the pain of the poor. “Jisko Kisine Nahi Pucha, Usko Modi Ne Puja Hai.”
I am not sure how many of you know that even for opening a bank account, a guarantee was sought from the poor. Forget about getting a loan. A faction of the country, which was landless, was left to fend for themselves. More than 80 per cent farmers, who didn’t even have two acres of land, were left to fend for themselves. Doors were shut for crores of youngsters just because they didn’t have any bank guarantee. Modi took the guarantee of those who didn’t have anything to give as a guarantee. With great sentiment, he gave birth to the Mudra scheme. Under this scheme, we have given Rs 30 lakh crore to youngsters without guarantee. This very sentiment helped advance the movement of self-help groups that cater to the needs of 10 lakh sisters. This sentiment gave birth to PM Swanidhi Yojana that looks after street vendors. This sentiment also gave birth to PM Vishwakarma and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. Can you imagine, if we lacked the right intent and Modi’s guarantee, then what would have happened?
The positive outlook of Modi today is not due to advertising. Modi stood by those who were left to fend for themselves by all. That’s why every poor person in the country has faith in Modi’s guarantee. I will say this again, what we have seen so far is nothing compared to what lies ahead.
Friends, for the longest time, our middle class has been victim of political…. I am sure, most of you would correlate with me. Middle class means a group which has surmounted difficulties but at the same time has a universe full of aspirations. Earlier, in every walk of life, the middle class had a life full of difficulties. The middle class of the country was consumed in these key issues: education of their kids, dream of building a house of their own, arranging the marriages of their children, and securing stable jobs for their kids.
For the last 10 years, we have broken the shackles that tied them to fear. Previously, incomes of Rs 2 lakh per annum were taxed, but now incomes of even Rs 7 lakh per annum are tax-free. Because of GST, people have managed to save close to Rs 45,000 crore. In the past 10 years, interest rates on home loans and personal loans have decreased. The middle class has benefited most from PM Sukanya Yojyna.
One of the biggest dreams the middle class nurtures is good education for their kids. Today, our government is opening educational institutes at a very fast pace. In the last ten years, every day, two new colleges have opened up in Bharat. And every week, one new university. New IITs, IIMs, and medical colleges are emerging in the country in record numbers. Till 2014, we had less than 400 medical colleges. But that figure has increased to 700 in the last ten years. In 2014, we had only 50,000 MBBS seats. Today, the MBBS seats have increased to over one lakh. In medical, PG seats have also doubled. People from middle-class families have also benefited from the government’s decision to introduce instructions in regional languages in colleges.
Thousands of crores of rupees which were earlier spent on children studying abroad, our government has also worked in this regard to save this expenditure. Today, renowned universities from around the world have started opening their campuses in Bharat. Government has brought changes in rules to aid foreign universities.
Friends, in the last 10 years, new sectors have opened avenues for middle-class children. Whether in the space sector, start-ups, drones or weapons — all have been opened up for youngsters. Reforms in several sectors, including defence and sports, have helped create more avenues for youngsters.
Now, the PM–Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana that we have started will also create great employment opportunities. The middle class will soon have zero electricity bills. The middle class also nurtures the dream of owning a home. But you will be surprised to hear that previous governments overlooked this need. The first such initiative was launched by our government. We gave subsidies in loans and relief in interest to the middle class. We spent nearly Rs 50,000 crore on this. People of Delhi and NCR know how many flats were caught in legal cases while they were living in rented houses, waiting years to fulfil their dreams. The government that came before us did not address this grievance.
By spending Rs 25,000 crore, our government is completing such unfinished projects so that the middle class gets the home they managed to buy from their investment. To avoid such circumstances in the future, we have brought RERA law. Now, no one can dare to dupe people of their rightful homes. This reform has brought great relief for the middle class. Now, this what we describe as Modi’s guarantee.
Modi is not only looking after the property of urbanites but also people living in rural areas. In villages, people end up spending their whole lives due to property disputes in courts. To avoid property related disputes, we brought the Swamitva Yojana. International agencies often emphasise that for a country to grow, the need for people to have fair and equitable property rights is a must. Under the Swamitva Yojana, we have given crores of people land titles of their properties. Using drones and other work related to property rights, land is mapped in rural areas. This is also creating many job opportunities.
Friends, till 2014, the world saw India as an overloaded flight, but today, the world can’t even imagine flying without India. In the next five years, India will become a pilot that will take the global flight to new heights. The next five years will be of unprecedented transformation, unprecedented growth, unprecedented expansion, and unprecedented prosperity. And this is the guarantee of Modi.
