Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 17: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shazia Ilmi today lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s performance, asserting that his accomplishments in the first 100 days of his current term surpass what others failed to achieve in the past 70 years.
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Speaking during a press conference in Srinagar, Ilmi outlined a series of infrastructure and policy initiatives, emphasizing how the Modi Government has approved over Rs 3 lakh crore worth of projects in 100 days.
“We have witnessed extensive development in roads, railways, and airports, with new projects like the Vadhavan Megaport in Maharashtra and the Shinkun La Tunnel,” she said.
She credited these efforts for creating significant employment opportunities, noting that the projects have generated 4.4 crore man-days of work.
The BJP leader also emphasized the scale of development in the aviation sector. “In the first 70 years after independence, we built as many airports as we have built in just the last 10 years,” she noted, underscoring the speed of the Government’s infrastructure efforts.
Addressing the country’s economic growth, she said, “India is now one of the top five economies globally, and we are on track to become one of the top three.” She expressed hope for similar economic progress in Kashmir. “We want Kashmir to be among the top 3 or four State economies,” she said.
Ilmi detailed the Modi Government’s agricultural reforms, focusing on the 70th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kissan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kissan) scheme, where Rs 20 crore has been disbursed to 9.3 crore farmers. She explained the recent rise in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, which has increased farmers’ income. “The Government has simplified income tax rules, offering significant relief to salaried employees, and introducing measures that will help middle-class taxpayers to save more money,” she said.
Focusing on housing and welfare schemes, Ilmi said that the Government approved the construction of 3 crore new houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. “Out of this, 1 crore houses will be part of the urban scheme, and 2 crore houses will be built in rural areas,” she said. She also mentioned the Unified Pension Schemes and Mudra Loan increases, particularly for Kashmir, which now has loans available from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for residents.
Ilmi touched on various social empowerment schemes as well, focusing on marginalized communities. “There are 90 lakh self-help groups under the Lakhpati Deedi Scheme and 2,500 Community Investment Funds. Empowerment of OBCs, Dalits, minorities, and tribes is a key priority for the Government,” she said. She also criticized the Congress party for its hesitance to release a manifesto, saying, “They fear exposing their stance on reservation issues, unlike our Government, which has worked for the Valmiki and Bakarwal communities and refugees from Western Pakistan.”
Addressing employment, she assured that Modi’s Government has created an environment of job creation through private sector initiatives, with 41 million youth set to be employed in the next 4-5 years. She mentioned that employees earning Rs 1 lakh would benefit from the Government’s contribution to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPFO).
Regarding the healthcare sector, Ilmi cited the Government’s achievements under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, which provides free health insurance of Rs 5 lakh to families. “Already, 450 million families and 60 million elderly citizens are enrolled, with 75,000 new medical seats added. In Kashmir alone, 1,000 extra medical seats have been approved, enabling more talented youth to pursue careers in medicine.”
She also praised the Government’s foreign policy, referencing India’s neutral stance on global conflicts, including the Ukraine-Russia war, and emphasized Modi’s efforts to mediate and bring peace. “Our foreign policy is clear: India supports peace, and we have seen a 70% reduction in terrorism,” Ilmi remarked. She reiterated that the Modi Government will not tolerate any separatist forces or terrorism, particularly in Kashmir. “There is no place for separatism, as people here are looking forward to a brighter future,” she said.
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