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Modi woos poor, middle class with numbers, health aid
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the concerns of the middle class and the poor in his Red Fort speech, an attempt to highlight his government’s
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the concerns of the middle class and the poor in his Red Fort speech, an attempt to highlight his government’s social goals amid criticism that his administration was focusing solely on economic growth.
In a country with healthcare spending of just 3% of the GDP, Modi announced medical aid of up to Rs 1 lakh for people below poverty line. “Medical costs of up to Rs 1 lakh a year will be borne by the government (for the poor),” he said.
Addressing the middle class, the prime minister said that his government has curtailed inflation at around 6%.
The Prime Minister said he wanted to spare the honest taxpayer the tyranny of income tax authorities. “Middle class, upper-middle class used to be hassled by income tax officers more than police. I have to change this situation,” he added. He also promised to ensure people don’t have a “hard time” getting tax refunds.
Modi said his focus was on work culture and delivery. The speed of delivery in vital sectors has increased, he claimed, adding that the time required to approve projects has been cut to six months.
The pace of road construction has increased from 70 to 75 km a day to 100 km, he said.
The Prime Minister also cited his government’s decision to declassify the files on Subhas Chandra Bose, and passage of the Goods and Services Tax Bill and real estate bills to show how things were moving under his government.
Modi used the occasion to snipe at the United Progressive Alliance government.
“While my government is surrounded by expectations, the previous regime was surrounded by allegations,” he said.
He said cooking gas connections had gone up by four crore in 60 months, compared to 14 crore connections released in 60 years.
The other achievements cited in the address were 21 crore bank accounts opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana, two crore toilets built in rural areas, and electrification of 10,000 villages.
