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Unfulfilled promises may cast shadow over PM’s speech
NEW DELHI: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands on the Red Fort ramparts to deliver his third Independence Day speech on Monday morning, it will be with a mixed
NEW DELHI: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands on the Red Fort ramparts to deliver his third Independence Day speech on Monday morning, it will be with a mixed bag of promises made over the last two years.
The Prime Minister’s announcements on financial and administrative measures have largely become reality, but some promises on the social sector are yet to be fulfilled.
During his first Independence Day speech in 2014, the Prime Minister spoke on cleanliness and building toilets. Although the government claims to have fulfilled the PM’s promise to construct 4.25 lakh toilets by 2015, ground reports suggest otherwise. There are reports of several schools – including some in New Delhi – not having toilets. Others in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana lack water supply.
Modi’s call for corporate India to build toilets has also received a tepid response.
Modi’s ambitious adopt-a-village scheme for parliamentarians ended up losing steam too. While parliamentarians adopted almost 700 villages in the first phase, only 51 came forward to do so this year.
On the positive side, the administration witnessed a major shake-up under the Modi government. Stern action was taken on allegations of misconduct, and biometric machines were installed at government offices to discourage absenteeism. Besides this, the Prime Minister personally met senior bureaucrats across India every month.
Modi’s Jan Dhan Yojna, through which Rs 23.6 crore accounts have been opened so far with deposits of `41,723 crore, seemed to have achieved success too. However, a report has pointed out that nearly a quarter of these accounts have no deposit.
In his 2014 speech, Modi had said, “We have had communal tensions for ages… Even after Independence, we have had to face the poison of casteism and communalism. How long will these evils continue?”
However, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coming under attack for the rise in caste-related violence – including the death of Rohith Vemula and the assault of five Dalits in Gujarat – one can see that social discrimination is still alive and kicking two years into Modi’s rule.
