PM Modi Highlights NDA's 11 Years: Focus on Poor Welfare, Empowerment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described his government as compassionate and devoted to the poor's welfare as the NDA prepares to mark 11 years in office. He stated path-breaking steps uplifted many from poverty via schemes like PM Awas Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan, and Ayushman Bharat. Modi emphasized commitment to an inclusive, self-reliant India, with transparency via DBT and digital inclusion, lifting over 25 crore people from poverty.
Unpacked:
The government’s claim is based on a revised multidimensional poverty index. However, critics argue that this index underestimates poverty compared to global standards, and that an increase in bank accounts does not necessarily equate to poverty reduction if accounts are not actively used.
Key schemes include PM Awas Yojana (housing), Ujjwala Yojana (cooking gas), Jan Dhan (bank accounts), and Ayushman Bharat (health insurance). These have made tangible improvements, such as providing 40 million homes, expanding access to bank accounts, and delivering health coverage to over 550 million people.
While the government’s welfare schemes have benefited millions and are politically popular, experts argue that job creation has lagged and some poverty reduction figures may be overstated due to changes in measurement methods.
Compared to previous Congress-led governments, Modi’s administration has emphasized direct benefit transfers, large-scale digital inclusion, and broader coverage in housing, food, and health insurance, claiming broader and more systematic outreach to the poor.