From 1947 to 2014, the Indian Middle Class was known for seeking and demanding subsidies among economists throughout the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is regarded as the most charismatic leader of our times world over, has revealed the ‘Will Power’ of the ‘giving up’ of subsidies by the Great Indian Middle Class. In pursuit of honoring a plea made by Modiji in March, 2015; over one crore people from the middle class voluntarily joined the movement of ‘giving up subsidy’ for the sake of the poor within a year. This movement led to the launch of the Ujjawla Scheme through which the Modi government was able to provide LPG gas cylinders to over 5 crore poor families of India. The world has never witnessed any such scheme.
In addition to this change in perception of the Indian middle class causing them to go from being ‘subsidy seekers’ to ‘subsidy givers’ the Prime Minster Narendra Modi has taken several steps to empower the Great Indian Middle Class since 2014. Here are a few for a quick recall:
1. Law and Legal Action against Builder Mafias: Builder mafias were causing extreme disorder and exploiting buyers throughout the country particularly in Delhi-NCR. It is due to the Real Estate (Development and Regulation) Act 2016 that builder mafias were nabbed and their illegal operations stemmed.
2. International Day for Yoga: The first International Day for Yoga was celebrated by 177 countries of the world. Several certificates, degrees, Ph.D. courses have been started on Yoga Science since and ‘Yoga’ has achieved the status of a universal discipline.
3. 33% Reservation for Girls in Police: You may have noticed more young women constables and sub-inspectors in Delhi. This is because on the 21st of March, 2015, the Modi Government approved 33% reservation for women in the police force.
4. 10% Reservation for General Category: There has been unrest and violence in several parts of country since the ratification of the OBC reservation in 1992 and the parliament has finally passed a bill for 10% reservation to the General Category.
5. Entry for Girls in the Armed Forces: The law was made and the first batch of 800 women soldiers was recruited in the armed forces in 2017. On the Republic Day Parade of 26 January 2018, the world witnessed the might of Indian women in the armed forces.
6. Mobile data rates per GB decreased from Rs 269 to Rs 5.
7. Interest rates on home loans came down from 10.15% in 2014 to 8.65% in 2018; personal loans from 15.5% to 10.65%, education loans 13.5% to 10.15%, car loans 10.95% to 8.9%.
8. Heart stents transplant prices reduced from Rs 1.98 lakh to Rs 29,000.
9. Knee implant operation prices reduced from Rs 1.58 lakh to Rs 54,724.
10. Free Wi-Fi services were started on almost all railway stations in the country as well as at famous tourist sites. The Wi-Fi services have also been provided at 100 locations in Delhi including the Red Fort, Nehru Place and Green Park.
11. Working women can now avail of a six month maternity leave.
12. The jawans of BSF, RPF, ITBP etc were being charged Rs 5 per minute for talking to their families from their posting at the border. The Modi government is providing them with free telecom facilities since October 18, 2017.
Friends! The opposition parties are alleging that the Modi government could not provide employment. They only consider the creation of ‘government jobs’ as employment. There are less than 2 crore government posts in India since the 1990s and theses include the army, the police and all other departments of the Center and state government. Every year a few thousand people retire and vacancies are advertised. Modiji had promised he would provide employment to two crore people per year but it never meant that he would provide a total of ‘10 crore government jobs’. Through the ‘Mudra Scheme’ alone, the Modi government has provided six lakh core interest free loans to 12.9 crore applicants in the country. This lead to the empowerment of around 2.5 crore citizens per year through self-employment which becomes the source of more jobs.
Friends! In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections of 2019, greedy and wily opposition parties that are in connivance with the media are going to present the Great Indian Middle Class, Youths and Farmers as subsidy and freebie seekers; before the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set in motion a revolution for the holistic development of these sections by changing both – their perception and their economic circumstances.
Let’s join the caravan of – Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.