New Delhi: After getting a resounding majority for a second term, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre is likely to continue its focus on the expansion of “welfare state” measures which helped the alliance win the hearts of voters across the nation.
Soon after it took charge in 2014, the Modi-led NDA government had launched many flagship schemes to promote “welfare state” policies in several key areas like financial inclusion (Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana or PMJDY), sanitation (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan), cooking fuel (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana), skills (Pradhan Mantri Kasushal Vikas Yojana or PMKVY), rural electrification (Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana or DDUGJY), and health (Ayushman Bharat). The Modi government even boosted the rural supply chain by constructing more roads in the rural areas of country.
The massive mandate for the Modi led-NDA government for another five-year term is a stamp of approval of the success of many of its previous welfare schemes and the Lok Sabha election verdict is going to prompt the government to not only continue these schemes, but introduce many more new welfare schemes.
The BJP manifesto has already indicated that the government at the Centre will expand the welfare schemes. The second term of the BJP government is set to introduce pension schemes for small land-holding farmers, expansion of road construction and the widening of the Ayushman Bharat Insurance coverage.
A BJP functionary told The Sunday Guardian: “Social security, along with building of infrastructure, is going to be in the priority list of the Modi government for the next five years. The BJP manifesto has already indicated about massive investment for the construction of over 50,000 km of roads, widening of the coverage of the Ayushman Bharat scheme and increasing the services provided under the Jan Dhan scheme.”
In its manifesto, the BJP has also promised Rs 25 lakh crore investment in agriculture-based rural economic activities. The motive behind the investment is to counter the farm distress and improve income generation in the rural areas. The manifesto also says that farmers will be provided interest-free loans of up to Rs 1 lakh for a period of five years, besides ensuring digitisation of land records.
Similarly, besides easy loans, the BJP manifesto has promised to introduce incentive schemes for small traders. The manifesto has also committed to revising the tax slabs to “ensure more cash and greater purchasing power” to improve the status of the middle class segment of the country.
Amit Jain, BJP’s trade wing member, told The Sunday Guardian: “If one goes by the headline numbers, the record looks very impressive on most counts as the financial inclusion initiative—the PMJDY—has emerged as one of the world’s largest financial inclusion programmes, and according to the government’s own data, 80% of adults and almost all households now have access to banking in the country.
Another flagship scheme, which helped Modi win a huge response, is the Ujjwala scheme and according to data, the Ujjwala scheme helped raise the number of households with LPG connections across the country. During his poll campaign, Modi had himself stressed on a shift in the country’s politics from caste lines to the welfare of the poor.