Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 13: Maintaining that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has liberated the countrymen from 70 year long colonial hangover, Union Minister in PMO with Independent Charge of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that in last seven decades the people of this country especially poor and down-trodden could not reap the fruits of democracy in real sense.
Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of an official function, Dr Jitendra Singh said PM Modi liberated the country from feudal mindset and gave a realization of democratic rights to its people. “After Modi came to power in 2014 he launched many welfare schemes for the poor and downtrodden especially those living in far off areas of the country and the people for the first time realised that they have democracy in the country,” he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said this spirit was awaken among the people first time after Modi came to power who rolled out many schemes for street vendors, artisans, craftsmen, show cobblers and other marginalized sections of the society. The Scheme launched by PM today is also like that, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that during his recent visit to a Panchayat he saw all the Kaccha houses were converted into Pacca Houses during Modi rule. “The only one family who had not received the benefit of construction of a Pucca house from Government when approached us, without losing any time we gave the benefit of the Government scheme to that family also”, he added.
Earlier while speaking at the launch of Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan evam Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ) National Portal for Credit Support to Disadvantaged sections of society by Prime Minister, Modi via videoconferencing, Dr Jitendra Singh said “Prime Minister, Modi’s socio-economic reforms have aroused aspiration in the common citizen. For example every citizen now feels that he is entitled to a “Pucca house” and a decent toilet like any other citizen and that is the true spirit of democracy”, he added.
“The citizens no longer resign to their fate and that is the true essence of democracy”, he said
The Minister said, Modi’s reforms have introduced a new work culture as well as a change of the mindset.
Dr Jitendra Singh stated that every citizen is now feeling confident enough to have every facility available to another person and the confidence to reach the highest position by dint of his or her effort. “Modi-led NDA Government unveiled scheme after scheme in the last ten years, with the sole motto of reaching the last person in the queue, rising above the narrow considerations of caste, religion or region”, the Minister said, adding that the Government was driven by the spirit that each section of society should get what it deserves and feel that they have the right to seek opportunities alike.
The Union Minister described PM-SURAJ as a transformative initiative which aims at uplifting the most marginalised segments of society. The nationwide PM-SURAJ national portal for credit support to disadvantaged sections embodies Prime Minister’s commitment to priorities the underprivileged (vanchiton ko variyata). The credit support will be provided to the eligible persons across the country, facilitated through banks, NBFC-MFIs, and other organisations. “In the last decade, the Government has ensured upliftment and conferment of honour on those sections of society which were either neglected or overlooked by previous Governments”, Dr Jitendra Singh said.
He recalled that after becoming Prime Minister, Modi had said that his Government is dedicated to the poor and committed to the development and welfare of weaker and marginalised sections. “Today’s launch of PM-SURAJ is a testament to that dedication and commitment”, he said.
Enumerating the achievements of the Government in the past ten years, Dr Jitendra Singh informed that more than 10 crore gas connections have been provided and as many as toilets built, keeping in mind the health and honour of women. “Earlier, our sisters in rural areas were forced to commit injustice unto themselves because they were constrained to answer the nature’s call in the twilight or at the first sight of dawn”, the Minister said.
Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that the Government had not only ended the all-pervasive cynicism and doom and gloom of the past, but has also transformed the people’s mindset. “The Government has walked the talk in the past 10 years”, Dr Singh said, and stressed the need for generating awareness about the Government’s welfare schemes and initiatives for the poor, farmers, women and the youth.
“By doing away with the colonial practice of attestation, the Government sent the message across that it has trust in its citizens who can now self-attest their documents”, Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted, adding that this decision was carried forward by abolishing interviews for certain government posts. “With its countless people-centric programmes and schemes, particularly for the upliftment of disadvantaged and neglected sections of society, the Modi Government has shown what real democracy is”, the Minister underlined. He pledged that the journey of development for all would continue in the next term of the Government.
Earlier, during the programme, Dr Jitendra Singh distributed Ayushman Health Cards, sanction letters for credit support, and PPE kits to sanitation workers to Safai Mitras (Sewer and Septic tank workers) hailing from several districts of J&K under the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE). The initiative represents yet another step towards safeguarding the health and safety of frontline workers who serve in challenging conditions.
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