Opinion M Venkaiah Naidu on PM Modi’s birthday: Scripting the New India story

Operation Sindoor is an example of a new Bharat, determined, sovereign, and swift in action. We find the same decisive approach when it comes to the execution of welfare schemes, infrastructure development, economic management and bringing about a cultural renaissance. Most significantly, the legacy of this government extends beyond the policies which are being implemented to the aspirations that have been awakened. Through a fearless approach to reforms, redefinition of the terms of global engagement based on mutual respect and strategic autonomy, and the conviction of putting people at the heart of national progress, what we see is purpose-driven leadership.

As it marches into Amrit Kaal, emerging as the fourth largest economy in the world, poised to become the third largest sooner than predicted, it must be noted that India is projected to be the world’s fastest-growing major economy at 6.3 per cent to 6.8 per cent in 2025–26. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) unified indirect taxes. A significant number of development projects were launched in the Northeast, integrating much-neglected parts of the country into the mainstream. ISRO also notched up exemplary achievements in space, including the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023. There are many other milestones reached since 2014, some of which I will attempt to touch upon.

As the world has seen, the abrogation of Article 370 was a landmark legislation, and I feel proud to have presided over the Rajya Sabha during the passage of this historic Bill on August 5, 2019. In a step which empowered Muslim women and protected their rights, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, declared instant divorce granted by pronouncement of “talaq” three times as void and illegal.

Over the last 11 years, Vikasvaad, a powerful development-centric approach, has become the cornerstone of this government’s approach. The implementation of his vision through the JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile) has revolutionised welfare schemes. This has brought in unprecedented transparency, eliminated intermediaries, and enabled direct transfer of benefits to citizens.

Some statistics from the ground for perspective: As per the revised International Poverty Line (IPL) from $2.15/day (2017 PPP) to $3.00/day (2021 PPP) put out by the World Bank, India’s extreme poverty rate declined sharply to 5.3 per cent in 2022-23 from 27.1 per cent in 2011-12. Today, a staggering 15.59 crore rural households have tap water with 100 per cent coverage in eight states and three UTs under Jal Jeevan Mission, while 2.86 crore households have been electrified under the SAUBHAGYA scheme. Around 10.33 crore LPG connections have been distributed under the PM Ujjwala Yojana with 32.94 crore active users, as of March 2025.

Housing has been a priority since 2014, and up until now, over four crore houses have been built under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), including 92.72 lakh under PMAY-Urban (90 lakh owned by women) and 2.77 crore under PMAY-Grameen.

In what is known as the world’s largest food security scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana delivers free rations to 81 crore people. A sanitation revolution has transformed rural areas, with more than 12 crore toilets built across the country, with more than 6 lakh villages ODF, under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Farmers are now seen as key stakeholders, leading India toward global food leadership. The agriculture budget has seen a sharp hike by nearly five times, from Rs 27,663 crore (2013–14) to Rs 1,37,664.35 crore (2024–25). Under PM-KISAN, Rs 3.7 lakh crore were transferred to 11 crore farmers as direct financial assistance, as of May 2025, while Rs 10 lakh crore credit was provided to 7.71 crore farmers under Kisan Credit Card (KCC), and the loan limit was increased to Rs 5 lakh for 2025-26. As a result, foodgrain production grew from 265.05 million tonnes (2014–15) to 347.44 million tonnes (2024–25).

Financial and digital inclusion is one of the hallmarks of this period, with the PM Jan Dhan Yojana boasting of 55.17 crore bank accounts, Rs 2.61 lakh crore deposits, and 30.80 crore women account holders, as of March 2025. StartUp India has turned the country into the third-largest startup and Unicorn (118) ecosystem in the world. Another key milestone is the construction of 4 lakh km of rural roads and 40,000 km of highways.

The country saw a remarkable spike in FDI inflows ($667.74 billion: FDI received in 2014-24, which equals 67 per cent of total FDI since 2000). India is the world leader in digital transactions today, with UPI processing 172 billion transactions in 2024 alone.

Posterity will record Bharat’s cultural renaissance through the redevelopment of temple corridors and pilgrimage sites such as the Kashi Vishwanath corridor and the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya, among others.

While these highlights of accomplishments are by no means exhaustive, they present a compelling glimpse into some of the major achievements of the government since 2014. This is the story of New India, scripted by the contribution of the youth, scientists, technocrats, entrepreneurs, women and farmers, under the government led by PM Modi. These milestones serve as a foundation for continued progress on Viksit Bharat’s journey into Amrit Kaal.

The writer is former Vice President of India