‘I am driven by nation first, some by family first’: Modi's swipe at Opposition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (March 16) said that decisive policies of his government would once again help it come to power. The prime minister made the statement a conclave of the India Today Group on a day the Election Commission announced the dates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, Modi said he is driven by "nation first" while others are guided by a "family first" approach.

‘Zero tolerance to corruption’

Exuding confidence of his government retaining power in the Lok Sabha polls, Modi said the next five years will be a guarantee of a stable, capable and strong India to the world while development will be taken to new heights.

He said his government has maintained "zero-tolerance" to corruption and given a freehand to investigation agencies, and that is why some people are having a pain in their stomach, an apparent reference to opposition leaders who have accused the government of misusing the probe bodies to target its rivals.

“While the Enforcement Directorate had seized only ₹5,000 crore till 2014, it has attached assets worth over ₹1 lakh crore and arrested those associated with cyber and narco crimes, and terrorism,” he said.

Modi said some people are running a campaign to abuse him but their intentions and commitment are under a question mark.

The country is clearly telling them "so sorry", he said, in a play at a popular short parody programme of the news channel.

Priority to deadlines over headlines

Speaking about his government’s welfare schemes, Modi said he gives priority to deadlines over headlines.

“Whenever I come to a conclave like this, those in the audience expect me to say things that will make loads of headlines. However, I am someone who works towards deadlines, not headlines. So I might be making some points that the media may not find too attractive,” he said.

He highlighted at length numerous welfare schemes, like Mudra and SVANidhi, that his government has brought over the years to help the deprived sections of society, be it street vendors or the rural poor.

Swipe at Rahul

In a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi said while his government has been targeting 'Industry 4.0', a reference to the modern manufacturing process that integrates digital technologies, some people still go to garages and move around tyres.

Rahul had gone to a garage last year and interacted with mechanics as part of his outreach to different sections of society.

The prime minister said his idea behind rural women using drones, as part of his government's 'drone didi' scheme, was to effect a mindset change in society as well.

Modi said his dispensation has worked to boost 'ease of living' of people and underscored his governing philosophy of minimising the role of government in people's lives.

He said if he had his way, he would remove the government from people's life by 2047.

“A common man should have the freedom to lead his life the way he wants,” he said, noting that his government has done away with hundreds of laws and regulations.

Tax reforms

Modi said that before his government came to power in 2014, people had to pay tax on income of ₹2,00,000 while there is no tax now on income of ₹7,00,000.

The prime minister said he could have distributed tax-payers' money to draw claps but this is not his way. He believed that people's lives could be made easier by saving their money.

“This is good in long-term and in the country's interests,” he said, asserting that he wants to handover a prosperous India to the next generation.

People have saved over ₹2.5 lakh crore in direct tax as his government wants the common people to have more money in their pocket, he said, adding that the poor has saved over ₹1 lakh crore due to the Ayushman health insurance scheme.

While the North East states were the least of priorities of previous governments, Modi said, he ensured that his ministers and senior officers visit the region regularly.

Modi said his ministers have visited the remote region nearly 700 times while he as prime minister has travelled there more than the trips of all the previous prime ministers put together.

This was not done with an eye on elections but as a matter of commitment, he said.

Boom in start-up industry

Modi said that he has even launched a vaccination programme, costing nearly ₹15,000 crore, for animals.

The number of start-ups has risen from a few hundred to 1.25 lakh, and they come from almost 600 districts, he said, adding that this highlights as to how youngsters from smaller cities are leading the start-up revolution.

“Under previous governments, the powerful and resourceful were the first to corner facilities by hook or by crook while the common people suffered,” he said.

Modi said his government has made 'ease of living' of the common people its top-most priority and noted that the period for making a passport is now merely five to six days against 50 earlier.

Before 2014, Income Tax refunds used to take 93 days on an average and it is now less than 10 days, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)