OdishaLIVE Bureau
Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing, Urban Poverty Alleviation, Information and Broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu attended two events under ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikash Sammelan’ banner at Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
He informed that in 2014, the economy of the country was in bad shape and under the NDA Government, India is now a leading emerging economy in the world.
He also said that no loans to big industrialists were waived off under the current government and the previous government’s borrowing binge and the overall debt-fuelled economic growth of the previous years had left the banking in a bad shape.
He pointed out that the current government has initiated pro-farmer policies like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, MUDRA Yojana etc. The government has been focusing on 3Ds – Decisiveness, Dynamism, Development he said.
The historic demonetization drive has garnered about Rs. 1,25,000 Crore black money so far and under Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana one of the largest financial inclusion drives in the world, 28.52 Crore people opened accounts and included in banking service network.
JAM (Jan-Dhan, Aadhar, Mobile) has promoted digital literacy and prompting people to go for e-transaction. This has also made DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) a success story and the government subsidies are reaching people/beneficiaries’ accounts in a targeted way now. Also 1.2 crore consumers have given up their LPG subsidywhich is a unique people driven initiative.
On developmental front the minister lauded the centre for having constructed 4.70 lakh toilets in schools under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and informed that so far 13,560 villages have been electrified out of 18,452 un-electrified villages in the country.
The planning work is on track as the Prime Minister has instructed to build and widen the existing highways from four to six lanes which will facilitate smoother transportation and under the unique Smart City Project, Rs. 200 crore was allotted to Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha.
Under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, farmers are getting maximum benefit by giving lowest premium ever which is the best farmers insurance scheme covering many crops in the country since Independence. The government has earmarked Rs. 10 lakh crore for crop loan during 2017-18 financial year
He summed up the meeting by saying that the government is working for development of the people and the nation and for co-operative federalism, the centre and the states should work together to raise the socio economic standards of vulnerable sections of the society and the government believes in Team India spirit. Hence the Centre wants every state to grow in scale.
