The Prime Minister spoke about a series of initiatives the government has started to provide even the poorest section of the society a respectable life.

 

"The people who have been living in palaces since generations, never understand what it means for a poor when he owns a house, which costs lakhs of rupees. Through PM Awas Yojana, we are making them 'lakhpati' (millionaire)," Modi said, taking a dig at the Opposition, and lauding the success of his government.

 

To achieve the objective of providing "Housing to All" by the year 2022, the government rolled out the revamped rural housing scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was launched on November 20, 2016 with effect from April 1, 2016.

 

The programme envisages the completion of 2.95 crore PMAY-G houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022, a statement from the ministry of rural development said.

 

Taking a jibe at the Opposition, he said: "Just start counting... we have provided house, LPG conenctions under Ujjwala Yojana, which was during your government, considered as a luxury.

 

"We provided electricity to crores of houses in thousands of villages, a bank account for every poor under 'jan-dhan yojana'," said the prime minister about the pro-poor initiatives by his government.

 

"Our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru once said that we have more deaths due to hunger than anything else, but now even during the corona pandemic time, not a single citizen of this country died of hunger as our government ensured free ration to the people through our various schemes," Modi said.

 

"Our exports are touching the new heights, our agriculture production is creating records, even our agri export is now exceptionally great... same is the case with our software export. We are creating history in trade, and this is giving momentum to our economy, and that's why the entire world now knows this fact that India is the fastest growing economy of the world," the Prime Minister said.

 

On the MSMEs, the prime minister put the data in the House that during the Corona pandemic, the government ensured that the MSME sector does not suffered, and thus the State Bank of India came forward with financial assistance to MSMEs. Through the various loan schemes and financial assistance programme for MSMEs, about 13.5 lakhs MSMEs were saved from shutting down, and about 1.5 crore jobs were saved.

 

The Prime Minister said Mudra Yojana launched by the government has played a vital role in women empowerment as this scheme helped lakhs of women turn entrepreneur and earn respect in the society.

 

On the infrastructure front, the Prime Minister said: "The Congress and our opponents should not forget that the freight corridor was initiated in 2006, but the speed of work was so slow, that it would have been taken years for completion, but our government has taken this as a task on priority and many folds the development."

 

Citing the examples of Saryu canal project and Arjun dam, the Prime Minister slammed the Opposition, saying Saryu canal project waqs initiated in 1970, and the Arjun dam project was started in 2009, "it is our government that completed these projects in record time".

 

He also cited the Char-Dham road project, saying the Congress should think that why over the last 50-60 years of their governance, they failed to build all-weather road to connect these religious places.