“The measure of a man is what he does with power.” - Plato
Four years on May 26, incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given the reins of the country in a ceremony that was not only internationally attended but also acknowledged. Charging into power with a significant Lok Sabha majority, Modi's confidence and charisma gave Indians hope for a better future. After all, didn't the leader himself vouch for “achche din”? On that day, the era for a corruption and red tape-free government began. India was finally moving on to a clean, inclusive, and development-oriented tomorrow.
After assuming the office, new implementations came left and right. Changes were made, India was officially on the path of reformation. Modi had what the previous government severely lacked; Clarity. Crude halved in price from the inauguration to the third year, and economic steps like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax (GST), and others were put into effect with much force. With the GST and the demonetisation move, the aim was to include more and more people in the tax bracket. The Modi government set a Fiscal Deficit target for itself, which can only be met if the revenue from the taxes go up. As the number of people in the tax bracket increases, so does the money the government can use on welfare schemes.
Demonetisation was a gamble that could potentially make or break Modi's chances of a second term. However, despite the initial anger and chaos, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a sweeping majority in Uttar Pradesh, barely two months after the move. Despite opposition parties making note ban their prime focus during the campaigning, they failed miserably. Even though the implementation of the notorious demonetisation was abysmal to say the least, the sheer determination with which the decision was made needs to be acknowledged. Things on the regulatory front have been smooth and easy. Modi, earlier during his tenure, passed the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act that established a time-bound mechanism for binding arbitration. It followed that up with a Central-level Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act (RERA).
PINNED INDIA ON THE GLOBAL MAP
Four years. Six continents. 54 countries. 36 foreign trips. India's global presence today, is undoubtedly stronger than ever since Modi came into power after the 2014 general elections. Criticised for his steady international trips, the leader has proved that India's bilateral ties with major economies have improved drastically in the last four years. The country most frequented by Modi was the United States of America. Relations with the global power were tensed under the second UPA regime, something Modi took upon himself to improve. Defence, economic, and political ties between the two countries have improved to say the least.
The third-largest investor in the UK, Modi's trips to the United Kingdom has seen the signing of memorandum for National Clean Ganga Mission, skill development and vocational programmes and an agreement between NITI Aayog and UK's Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He has also visited Germany and Russia four times in the past four years. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin recently in an informal summit in Sochi. Germany is India's biggest trade partner in the European Union, and ties have strengthened with each visit Modi paid Chancellor Angela Merkel. He has also made three visits of strategic importance to France in his four years.
The Prime Minister has stressed on relations with India's neighbouring countries, ever since he assumed office. He paid three visits to Nepal since 2014, and had also visited Pakistand and held talks with then prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Also on his list are Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. India's relations with Middle Eastern countries have soared since 2014. Summits with leaders of Israel, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Palestine, and Afghanistan were held. The middle east has been a priority of the Modi government since India is dependent on them for two-third of the oil imports.
Other countries Modi have visited include Japan, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Fiji, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, and Sweden.
AN HONEST LOOK AT MODI'S FLAGSHIP SCHEMES
As the first term of PM Modi comes to a close, we take a look at some of his major flagship schmes like the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Mudra, and Housing for All by 2022, make a difference.
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
The ruling BJP government recently announced that it has completed the electrification of 18,452 villages under this scheme. However, data compiled by the Union Power Ministry shows that India has seen only 5.66 per cent annual growth in generation between 2014-15 and 2017-18, as compared to 5.9 per cent between 2010-11 and 2013-14. Despite rural electrification, why does power consumption refuse to grow? According to the government, a village is considered electrified if it has basic electrical infrastructure and 10 per cent of its households and public places have power. This means, an electrified village is connected to a power grid, but its inhabitants do not necessarily have access to electricity.
Electrification itself might not bring relief to these villages as there is no guarantee to the supply of electricity. Even if utilities supply power to villages 24*7, there is no guarantee the villagers can afford it. Poor households were to be given electricity connections under Modi's ambitious Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, or the Saubhagya scheme. This may deter economically-weaker consumers from seeking electricity connections.
Ujjwala scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in 2016, with the aim to provide five crore LPG connections to women from poor households by the end of March 2019. While the number of LPG connections has seen a big growth after the roll out of the PMUY, it has not been matched by a commensurate increase in LPG consumption.
The growth rate of LPG consumption has stayed the same level as before the scheme was launched. LPG consumption saw a growth of 10.5 per cent and 9 per cent in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. After the roll out of Ujjwala, LPG consumption recorded a growth rate of 10.1 per cent and 8 per cent in 2016-17 and 2017-18, nearly the same level as before the scheme was implemented. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also admitted that the average per capita consumption of PMUY beneficiaries who have completed one year from the date of release of connections is just about 4.32 cylinders.
Analysts said that paying for even one subsidised LPG cylinder refill, that costs over Rs 600, is not easy for poor households. They find kerosene and firewood to be much cheaper.
Jan Dhan Yojana
A scheme Modi never fails to boast about, as many as 32.6 Crore accounts have been opened under the Jan Dhan Yojana that aims for financial inclusion. These accounts have combined deposits of Rs 81,203.59 Crore as of May 27. However, almost 20 per cent of the accounts are currently inactive and 1.9 per cent have been closed, according to the Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla. An estimated 31.30 Crore Jan Dhan accounts with combined deposits of over Rs 75,000 Crore were opened till February 2018, out of which, only 25.18 Crore were operative. Shukla said that till February 2018, about 59 Lakh Jan Dhan accounts have been closed since the launch of the scheme.
In a written reply to the Parliament, he said, “Jan Dhan accounts are closed as per the request of account holder. Some of the Jan Dhan accounts are closed due to conversion into normal savings account as per request of the account holder. In some cases, accounts are closed due to account holders having multiple accounts in their name in the same bank.”
Make In India
The Make in India Campaign is one of the flagship Schemes of the government that aims at making India a global manufacturing hub and reaping the economic spin offs in terms of better infrastructure and employment opportunities. The net foreign investment inflows have hit an all-time high in early 2017 and have financed the current fiscal deficit. Foreign investment has increased 46% since the launch of Make in India.
Swachh Bharat
What started off as a mission has now turned into a raging revolution. Around 1,90,000 villages, 130 districts and three states in India have become open-defecation free ever since the Prime Minister called for a clean India. The programme is well on track to achieve an Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by October 2019. The Swachh Bharat Mission is not a toilet construction programme but a behavior change mass movement. Sikkim, Himachal and Kerala have already been declared as ODF. In furtherance of this initiative many small initiatives are being taken such as recently concluded Swachh Shakti event.
71.9 PER CENT INDIANS SAY THEY WILL VOTE FOR MODI
In a mega 'Pulse of the Nation' poll conducted online by the Times Group, almost two-third (71.9 per cent) of 8,44,646 respondents said they will vote for Narendra Modi as PM candidates if general elections were conducted in the present. With less than a year to go for the Lok Sabha elections, 73.3 per cent of respondents said that a Modi-led- government was the most-likely possibility when the elections are held. The poll, which was conducted across nine media properties of the Times Group, asked respondents to rate four years of the Modi government. Over two-third of respondents rated its track record as good or very good. Out of this, “very good” accounted for 47.4 per cent and “good” for 20.6 per cent. About 11.38 per cent termed it as average, while 20.55 per cent found it to be poor.
The survey also asked to rate the biggest successes and failures of the Modi government. 33.42 per cent respondents rated implementation of the GST as their top choice for successes, followed by demonetisation, 21.9 per cent, surgical strikes on Pakistan got 19.89 per cent, and Jan Dhan Yojana got 9.7 per cent votes. Modi's proactive fronting of India's foreign policy received a massive thumbs-up with over 80 per cent of the voters terming it “very good” or “good”. When asked avout the most likely political scenario after the 2019 general election, 73.36 per cent respondents predicted a Modi-led government coming back to power, while 16.04 per cent thought it would be a Third Front government, and only 10.59 per cent predicted a Rahul Gandhi-led government.
