The first 50 days of the second tenure of the Modi Government can be termed as “Decisive and Directional” as the Central Government focussed its first 50 days on laying foundation of making India a 5 trillion US dollar economy, boosting infrastructure and business, empowerment of all and doubling farmers income. To ensure commitment to “Empowerment of All”-“Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”, during 2019-20 to 2021-22, 1.95 crore houses are proposed to be provided to the poor under “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin”. By 2022, the 75th year of India’s independence, the Government will look to ensure that every single rural family has an electricity and a clean cooking gas connection. Safe-clean drinking water is to be provided to all rural households by 2024 under “Jal Jeevan Mission”.
Pension benefits will be offered to 3 crore retail traders and small shopkeepers with annual turnover of less than Rs 1.5 crore under “Pradhan Mantri Karam Yogi Mandhan Yojana”. One woman in every Self-Help Group (SHG) will be allowed for a loan upto Rs 1 lakh under Mudra loan. The price of non- subsidised LPG was cut by over Rs 100 per cylinder.
To boost business, the Modi Government, in the 2019 Budget, has kept corporate tax rate at 25% for companies with annual turnover up to Rs 400 crore. This threshold used to be Rs 250 crore earlier. This will cover 99.3% of all companies. To promote entrepreneurship among SC/STs, “Stand Up India” scheme will be continue till 2025.
Farmers’ welfare is on priority of the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as focus is on doubling farmers’ income through various measures including “Zero Budget Farming”, going back to traditional methods of agriculture. The Government has secured the future of 5 crore small and marginal farmers, through a voluntary and contributory pension scheme. The increase in minimum support prices (MSP) for kharif crops, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, is in line with giving farmers 1.5 times the cost of production. The Central Government would spend about Rs 10,774.50 crore for 3 years towards its contribution for providing social security cover for farmers. “PM-KISAN” scheme has been extended to all eligible farmer families irrespective of size of land holdings. This increases the coverage of “PM-KISAN” scheme to 14.5 crore farmers. The Centre’s decision to invest Rs 100 lakh crores in next 5 years for infrastructure and giving massive push to modernization of railway stations will boost infrastructure significantly.
The Modi Government’s other decisions to build “Naya Bharat” includes approval to the Code on Wages Bill which would benefit about 50 crore workers as it will ensure timely payment of wages to all employees irrespective of sector or wage ceiling; creation of “Jal Shakti” Ministry to provide safe-clean drinking water to all; developing 17 iconic tourism sites as world-class tourist centers to improve the flow of domestic and foreign tourists to these destinations; Cabinet’s approval to fresh Bill to ban Triple Talaq to ensure gender equality and gender justice to Muslim women; introducing death penalty provisions for sexual offences against children. The successful launch of “Chandrayaan-2” has further established India as a “Space Super Power”.
The Modi Government is the first Government who has taken strict action against those who held the Kashmir Valley and J&K’s politics hostage to their whims and fancies for the past three decades. Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) will go a long way in providing relief to the people in Jammu and Kashmir living in areas adjoining international border. They can now avail reservation in direct recruitment, promotion and admission in different professional courses. This is an excellent initiative taking development to the last mile.
Strict action has been taken against black money. Massive action has been taken against corruption in bureaucracy. The “Swachh Bharat” Mission and “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” campaign have won global praise. The first 50 days of this Government has also witnesses increase in India’s prestige at global level. “Yoga Day” was observed with great gusto all over the world on 21st June. The International Court of Justice delivered an extremely favourable verdict in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. Showing his commitment to the “Neighbourhood First” approach to foreign policy, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi became the first world leader to travel to Sri Lanka after the horrific Easter terror attacks.
Ministry of Minority Affairs has taken several initiatives for welfare of Minorities which include digitalisation of Waqf properties which will ensure transparency and better utilisation of Waqf properties for betterment of the society. Digitalisation of 83 per cent Waqf properties has been completed and the remaining properties will be digitised in next 50 days. A total of 100 Common Service Centres have been sanctioned to be established in different parts of the country. These centres will work as a single window to help Minorities and other needy people in getting information regarding scholarships and other welfare schemes; coordinating with the state governments; helping the needy in communication-correspondence with the Government departments etc.