Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the approach of earlier governments while extending subsidies was of entitlement but the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in giving it to empower an individual. “The approach of earlier governments had been entitlements. Give that right here..give that right there. Yes, the people who need that will have to get it. But if it is your right, it has to be connected with empowerment. Today, the approach is that you will get support. The ‘PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’ provides food to 80 crore people, they still get it. But the belief is to empower him (individual),” said Sitharaman without mentioning the word subsidies or freebies. She was speaking at the special programme on the book titled Modi@20 where a number of eminent personalities from different fields have written on their own perspectives of the functioning of PM Modi over 20 years of governance. The Union minister further advised not to live with the belief that “it is my right to get it”. “If it is your right, you will get it. But along with that, you will also get what will empower you to make you stand on your own feet. That is the approach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Sitharaman. The finance minister said Modi is an example of collective governance. Newsletter | Click to get the day's best explainers in your inbox “He takes everybody on board and listens to everyone before voicing his opinion. Everyone’s views are taken before a decision is reached. It is a beautiful part of collective governance where the leadership takes responsibility for every decision,” she said. The minister said that along with ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’, the BJP today says ‘Sabka Prayas’. Sitharaman said the PM ensures last-mile delivery of water and power. “For 70 years, the delivery was at snail's speed. But the country cannot wait any more. He (Modi) takes feedback every month to ensure last-mile delivery,” she said.
