Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUN 16 (NPN): Union minister of state for external affairs and textiles, Pabitra Margherita, on Tuesday said around 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty during the 12 years of the Narendra Modi-led government, which he described as a period marked by development, public welfare and inclusive growth across the country, including Nagaland.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters here as part of celebrations marking “12 Years of Trust, Development and Public Welfare”, Margherita said Prime Minister Modi had completed more than 4,400 days in office and that the occasion was being observed nationwide.
Highlighting key achievements of the government, he said over 81 crore people were receiving free food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, four crore pucca houses had been constructed, nearly 16 crore tap water connections provided under the Jal Jeevan Mission, and around 11 crore LPG connections distributed through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
Margherita said 57 crore Mudra loans had been sanctioned to entrepreneurs and economically weaker sections, while 74 lakh loans had been extended to street vendors. He also highlighted India’s economic growth, stating that the country had become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP of about Rs.345 lakh crore and foreign exchange reserves exceeding Rs.67 lakh crore.
The minister said infrastructure spending had increased six-fold to Rs.12.2 lakh crore compared to the UPA era. He noted that India’s national highway network had expanded from around 91,000km in 2014 to 1.46 lakh km, while the number of airports had more than doubled from 74 to 164.
He further said metro rail connectivity had grown from about 248km before 2014 to 1,155km, while India’s startup ecosystem had expanded to over 2.2 lakh startups generating employment opportunities across sectors.
On defence and internal security, Margherita said India had emerged as a defence exporter with exports reaching Rs.38,400 crore, while defence production had increased from Rs.46,000 crore to Rs.1.5 lakh crore. He also claimed that the vision of a Naxal-free India was steadily becoming a reality.
Turning to Nagaland and Northeast, the minister said the region had witnessed unprecedented development under the Modi government in sectors such as connectivity, healthcare, education, tourism, sports and culture.
He said tax devolution to Nagaland had increased from Rs.5,405 crore during 2004-2014 to Rs.59,327 crore under the Modi government, while grants-in-aid rose from Rs.31,300 crore to Rs.79,970 crore during the same period.
Margherita further highlighted central assistance through the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, under which 17 road projects worth Rs.900 crore and 146 infrastructure projects worth Rs.1,489 crore had been approved for Nagaland. He added that over Rs.10,037 crore had been allocated to the state under the UNNATI initiative during the past decade.
Listing welfare achievements in Nagaland, he said more than 4.13 lakh Jan Dhan accounts had been opened, over 7.7 lakh Ayushman Bharat cards issued, and 1.22 lakh LPG connections provided under Ujjwala Yojana. He also stated that more than 3.42 lakh rural households had received tap water connections, around 14 lakh beneficiaries were receiving free food grains, and 1.88 lakh farmers were covered under PM-KISAN.
Earlier in the day, Margherita participated in a tree plantation and cleanliness drive at Kisama Heritage Village under the “Prakriti Parv” initiative and visited the Handloom Marketing Complex, where he interacted with artisans and weavers.
The minister said the Centre was promoting Nagaland’s handloom and handicraft sector through digital platforms and national exhibitions, while also supporting the state’s tourism, culture and entrepreneurship sectors. He noted that the Hornbill Festival had evolved into a major national attraction and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to supporting Nagaland’s development and economic growth. Margherita expressed gratitude to the people of Nagaland for their continued support and assured that the BJP-led NDA government would continue working for the overall development of the state and the Northeast region.