No, not a Modi Bhakth, but a Modi ke Matwale Raahi perhaps. For those old enough to remember Hawa Mahal, the radio programme on All India Radio back in the day, the adventures of the two truckers solving mysteries as they drove through the heartland of India in their truck equipped with Modi Continental Tyres (not a sponsor!)might evoke some memories. The radio play was called Modi ke Matwaale Raahi.
Oh and don’t read too much into the title either, there are no subtle references made or inferences to be drawn, just the poet in me finding an apt rhyming line, though truth be told the man does evoke those feelings and reactions, either he get one’s vote or he gets one’s goat. One can’t have a civil discussion these days it seems, on any political or even economic issue, report, observation, insight or opinion without the risk of landing into a full blown war, or plain name calling, passing judgement and damaging impressions, relationships and friendships perhaps forever. Tread softly, these issues seem to say, because you tread through a minefield. This has been the case the world over these past few years as the shift from left of centre has slowly made its way to the right, some might even argue extreme right. However, that’s an argument/discussion (insert smiley here) for another day.
As for me personally I will admit the man has made an impression for sure. Whether I look at optics, impressions, tangibles, intangibles, ‘jumlas’, ideas, vision, macro thinking, implementation, conviction, work ethic, execution, force of personality and idea of and ideas for India and nationhood, I think he comes out trumps (no pun intended).
One has only to take a look at his Independence Day announcements and implementation of those ideas into policy and the cascading effects and benefits (or not ) to gauge for themselves whether there has been any impact.
Jumlas, Optics and Impact
Whilst jumlas can remain just that, empty sloganeering to catch media and mass attention, it is effective execution that finally is the proof of the pudding coverting a jumla into a vison statement and from there into results that are impactful and meaningful. Corporate honchos keep reminding us that execution of ideas is everything and that’s the play. To spell out a vision and then to create an enabling environment to implement those ideas on the ground and bring that vision to life is the hallmark of a great leader.
Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikaas, Sab ka Vishwaas Sab ka Prayas
( Loose translation With everyone, development and prosperity for all and with everybody’s trust and efforts )
As good a mission statement, vision outlook, election slogan, jumla, purely for optics and impact measurement slogan as any.
Sab ka Saath
The BJP under his visionary leadership has grown from its restricted base, cluster, constituency of the Hindu cultural ethos, fragmented as it is due to caste divides within and its so called ‘trader-business base’ to the biggest National Party present, active and strong pan India entering new territories, forging new alliances and partnerships and gathering and winning support from constituencies and area where it didn’t have a presence before. It is also now the largest political party in the world.
The party realised that the old ways of maintaining the status quo, doling out the odd benefit but essentially keeping the poor, poor and making empty promises are over. If the nation and its people have to progress and grow and fulfil its potential, then development and its fruits have to reach the last man. By ensuring schemes and infrastructure development plans and projects roll out across the country not only in towns and cities but villages and focusing on areas hitherto ignored or overlooked like the North East states and now J&K the effort to bring the entire country together on the development platform can be seen and measured.
They have expanded their base from the Hindu middle class divided base (divided because not all are supporters though they are growing) in towns and cities to include the Dalits, scheduled castes and tribes across states in the developed and underdeveloped districts and village which were largely supporting regional caste based parties. Most of those who vote for these parties in the state elections, land up voting for Modi at the Centre by voting BJP in the national elections which explains to an extent the large base and win margin.
I must admit when the BJP first came to power even moderates and supporters like myself were a bit wary of the rise of the right wing extreme which could disrupt the social fabric and cultural ethos of our country and for awhile it did seem that way. However, it took foresight, leadership, tact, time and patience to control and quieten those elements and reign them in. Balancing so many stakeholders, political, cultural and religious organisations, institutions, sects not to mention expectations of over a billion people and navigating the not so calm waters takes some doing and with time over the last seven years they have more or less bought into the development (vikaas) narrative that the government is pushing aggressively and have minimised incidents and public rhetoric and with continued efforts will hopefully quell any untoward events completely.
From being seen largely as a party for corporates, business and trade, they have shifted their focus to include the weaker sections across the country. The introduction and implementation of various schemes, initiatives, financial benefits, infrastructure development and inclusion and participation by aggressive ongoing efforts to provide last mile connectivity with digital and physical infrastructure to improve the lives and livelihood of these sections are benefitting society and the party.
They have also expanded their base from their limited northern bastion back in the day and are present either as a ruling party or a major force in almost all the states across the country. Modi’s Act East Policy has paid large dividends as he focused on the hitherto ignored North East States, Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. Development projects, infrastructure, political leadership and regional integration by creating resilient value chains, digital and physical connectivity, facilitating trade, promoting tourism and effective management of non state actors and naxals bringing security and the fruits of development to the NER North East Region is in itself a huge integration effort as earlier dispensations didn’t pay much attention to the region and the relationship and involvement between the Centre and the North east States was at best minimal. While the broader contours of the Act East Policy extend to South East Asia, Japan and Australia, a good hard look within the country was required. Likewise, they’ve made inroads into the Southern States and are now pursuing aggressive development goals in J&K and have worked on including the Muslim population and balancing the Hindutva narrative with one of Development and Progress for all.
In his Independence Day speeches he has called for building national character, national interest and interest of the common people rolling out policies and schemes that are targeted towards achieving those goals with clear timelines.
Sab ka Vikas
Development and Progress for All is the jumla, motto, vision statement call it what you will, which has made a strong impression and helped in shifting perceptions and winning vote banks. Votes however can be won once perhaps, but if the party has winning on the development plank consistently then there’s something to be said for it.
Torture numbers hard enough and they’ll pretty much say what you want them to say. Data can be crunched in many different ways and present different perspectives, numbers can be fudged, data can be massaged as it were but as we move into the digital realm and juxtapose that with happenings on the ground, we can from our own contexts, ascertain whether a) any development is taking place at all and b) whether the trickle down effect of development is really happening:-
Bijli, Sadak, Paani
With the present installed capacity of 384 GW, electricity in rural areas is about 20-22 hours a day and urban areas at 23 odd hours. All States have reported 100% electrification. 199 crore LED Bulbs have also been distributed to the poor.
One Nation One Grid will integrate all regional grids into a national grid. India has set a 500 GW non fossil fuel target by 2030 to meet Cop 26 goals. It has also committed to a reducing net carbon emissions to zero by 2070. India met its generation of 40% non fossil fuel target by 2030, in 2021 itself on the back of liberalised FDI Rules and Green Energy Initiatives. Current installed capacity for non fossil fuels 147 GW with solar and wind at 100 GW and India aims to grow solar capacity alone to 175 GW. Investments required for this are huge and targets are very ambitious but the work is being carried out on a war footing. India has seen the fastest growth in the world in non fossil fuel energy capacity growth in the last seven and a half years.
Drinking water for all is on mission mode adding 1 lac households a day. In 2020, 2 crore households in far flung villages and jungles got drinking tap water in their homes. 4.5 crore families have now received piped water in their homes over the two years the scheme has been in existence. Jal Jeevan Mission investing 3.50 lac crores for water conservation, irrigation, harvesting, treatment and regeneration, interlinking of rivers, building check dams etc. Har ghar jal is the mantra they are following.
National Highways built in the last 7 years total 1,51,000 kms almost double the 91287 km in April 2014 at a pace of almost 37 km per day from the earlier 12 km per day and aims to complete another 11000 km by March 2022. Bharatmala contract value awarded 3.30 Lac crores with an additional 1.08 lac crores for highways State Highways encompass 1,86,000 km currently
Rural Road network built from 2014-2019 was 200,000 km at 109 km/day and projects now take less than six months as against two years earlier. By 2019 91% of the village population were connected by roads as against 55% in 2014. Current rural road network stands at 453511 km. All weather connectivity at 74%
Digital India
The Government has recognised the power of the digital economy and given it wings. India’s digital connectivity, architecture, policies are growing at a rapid rate and just as the earlier decades saw the rise of doctors and engineers, the next ten years will see the rise of the Indian entrepreneur and a lot of this will be due to the digital infrastructure and policies being laid down today. These initiatives will not only build India’s digital infrastructure, but develop and up skill its manpower to generate employment and produce products and services that will deliver impactful solutions to scale.
The Aadhaar Platform for eg. has been used now to deliver so many benefits and solutions to the common man linking 70 crore ( 700 million) people to the system, but at one point there was a clamour for its removal. When the BJP won in 2014, Modi Jaitley and Nandan Nilekani, the chief architect of Aadhaar and UIDAI Head met to discuss Aadhaar in the backdrop of the then common held view that the NPR National Population Register may replace Aadhaar and this would be scrapped. Modi’s decision to back Aadhaar is significant seeing the transformational change it has made to the electoral, financial inclusion, health and direct benefits transfer ecosystems. Aadhaar, a Public Digital Asset, much like a PSU is now part of the emerging Open Digital Ecosystem ( ODE) forcing a cultural mindset reset. It is currently doing 50 million authentications a day. Direct benefits transfers to linked bank accounts via Government Schemes like Jan Dhan Aayojana, Jan Aarogya, Covid related compensations and benefits, financial inclusion, loans, public health, vaccinations, amongst a host of others. Its stated objectives are to deliver good governance, efficient, transparent and targeted delivery of benefits, services and subsidies. It has resulted in the elimination of middlemen and corruption, brought in millions into the formal banking system resulting in financial inclusion and added muscle to electoral reforms and delivery of services.
The Electronic Registry for people, entities or things allowing digital authentication and registration which powers the COWIN platform, India’s mass vaccination programme. The Fast Tag highway toll solution, the Beckn Protocol is paving the way for the Open Network for Digital Commerce an open platforms for buyers and sellers on the digital commerce platform enabling and digitising supply and value chains, vendor and price discovery with standardised processes for onboarding retailers on e market places. It is the first global initiative of its kind.
Gati Shakti the new interlinking and integration platform development to bring together all the various Ministries involved in huge infrastructure projects breaking silos and allowing each ministry and department to see each other’s projects through a centralised portal omitting wasteful expenditure, doubling of work and saving time. GIS satellite imagery will allow departments to review and monitor each other’s projects to allow seamless and coordinated efforts. For eg a constructed road won’t need to be dug up again because another department wants to lay underground cables. They’ll be able to see where plans for a road are underway and move in and set up their cabling so no disruptions occur. The plan is to link highway projects, sagarmala, ports, defence corridors, industrial clusters, electronic parks and agri zones to leverage technology.
The Government E Market Place set up in August 2016 for small businesses to sell directly to government has 3.5 crore sellers and service providers with over 4 crore products and business over 1.8 lac crores ( 27 billion dollars) has already been transacted.
Government laws changing to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship. Angel tax, self registration simplifying and/or removal of over 26000 plus compliances has been undertaken and 770 offences decriminalised. The start-up ecosystem is thriving with 83 unicorns ( unicorns are startups valued at over 1 Billion dollars) 42 of which became unicorns in 2021,a pandemic year! Funding in 2021 reached 24.1 billion dollars (INR 1.8 Lac crores). Deep tech Ed Tech AI, Analytics, Agri Tech, Health Tech, E Commerce, Fin Tech are all seeing exponential growth and projections for the future are really bright.
Fibre optic digital connectivity targets now have been set. Besides the 1.5 lac Gram Panchayats who have been connected from the 60 in 2014 and a further 1 Lac to be connected soon, the PM also announced in 2020 that all 6 lac villages will be connected within the next 1000 days. A huge ask, but high targets bring impactful results. 1 billion internet connections are envisaged by 2025.
India is the fastest growing market for Digital Payments and transactions are expected to cross 75 Lac crores (1 trillion dollars) by 2026. Current values are 7.5 lac crores (300 billion) fuelled by cheap data, handsets, financial access, and Aadhaar. On another note, the Jan Dhan Yojana has over 36 crore accounts and 1 lac crore in deposits.
Make in India
The Make in India campaign to encourage global and local businesses to invest in manufacturing facilities and produce world class good for the world. He has called out the fact that chalta hai, hota attitudes should go and we should work towards zero defect quality products.
Easing of FDI norms, incentives to many sectors like semi conductor manufacturing, electronics, telecom, EV’s, automobiles and auto components, textiles, defence, space, renewable energy, etc.
The new PLI Performance Linked Incentive Schemes to boost production are finding traction and results of these schemes and investments will be seen in the next few years.
Money has no friends. It goes where it can grow. With record FDI’s pouring in year after year currently at 440 billion dollars and equity inflow touched 312 billion dollars in the last 7 years. FDI in 2020-21 was 82 billion and touched 42.9 billion in the first half of 2021-22. IPO’s in 2021 crossed 1.19 lac crores.
The fact that we are the fastest growing economy even in a global pandemic speaks volumes for our resilience, people and the ecosystem. The IMF Forecast for 2022-2023 is 8.5%. While growth rate fell to as low as 4% during the peak pandemic, its policies and internal resilience of its markets have kept its head above waters
All these measures including huge infrastructure spends ( 100 lac crore /1.5 trillion dollars, investments in 5 Years targeted will help achieve the bold 5 trillion dollar economy ( 375 Lac crore) from the 3 Trillion dollars today ( 150 Lac crore) target Modi has set to reach 10 trillion dollars ( 750 Lac crore) in 10 years.
Removal of over 1700 laws and over 1500 compliances for ease of living and doing business, and , introducing the IBC (Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code) , GST, Labour Code, RERA Real Estate Regulation and Development), Benami Act , Scrapping of Retrospective Tax, Clear Divestment policy, to boost the formal economy and bring structural reform and sustainable growth.
80 crore beneficiaries for free dry ration from April 2020 has been in effect during the pandemic. The scheme will continue till March 2022. Housing, Insurance, Health, Connectivity both physical and digital or all are various programmes being run by various ministries and States, with guidance from the PMO.
National Health Card for all to digitise their medical records and streamline appointments in any hospital. Ayushman Bharat, Insurance scheme for the poor has seen 2.6 crore admissions to hospitals since launch.
Covid Management – task forces, central, state and district administrations, deep tech, vaccine manufacturers, health professionals and frontline personnel all worked on a war footing and showed the world what we can do. Everyone thought we would crumble, our population was too large, or health service and infrastructure inadequate, but we have shown the world how its done. Over150 crore vaccinations have been administered (1.5 billion) with 65 crore (650 million) having received both doses and 90 crore (900 million) having received the first dose. Yes there was a brief spell during the second phase when we faltered badly and tragically but speed of ramping up infrastructure, oxygen availability and vaccination drive were enhanced and personnel trained to operate ventilators and oxygen plants, monitoring of stockpile of medicines, 1222 oxygen plants commissioned and installed in 7 months tracked daily are measures that have helped control the effects of the pandemic. This takes leadership and commitment.
All these measures help in the Prime Minister’s Vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, a self reliant India. A 20 lac crore (10% of India’s GDP) package was announced last year during the peak of the covid crisis for the economy, infrastructure , people and to boost demand.
Sab Ka Vishwas ( Not the Legacy Dispute Resolution Scheme, though that’s a thing too)
They’ve also broadened their outlook and are working on changing perceptions by addressing issues faced by the Muslim population which is where the Sab Ka Vishwas ‘jumla’ comes in. A lot of the right wing rhetoric as mentioned earlier has been controlled or quelled though a lot remains to be done for sure. Extensive work in the States where the party is in power by the administration, the RSS and its Muslim Wing, MRM, Muslim Rashtraya Manch and other organisations and the Party’s own schemes rolled out at the national level as well as the repeal of certain laws for their benefit have created grounds for trust building, wellbeing and peace. 36 schemes for the community have been introduced like Nai Roshni, Usttad, Seekho aur Kamaao, Naya Savera, Nai Udaan, Nai Manzil besides benefits accruing from other schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, Atal Yojana, Awaas Yojana Startup India etc.
Nai Roshnee is Leadership Development Programme for Minority Women providing knowledge, tools and techniques to empower women to interact with Government systems, banks and institutions. It runs programmes on Financial Literacy, Swacch Bharat, Health and Hygiene, Life Skills, Legal Rights etc.reaching about 5 lac women beneficiaries. USTTAD Preservation of national crafts and arts. Naya Savera is a scheme providing free coaching for candidates and students belonging to minority communities and in some case financial support for free coaching for qualifying and competitive exams. Nai Manzil an integrated education and livelihood scheme for minorities with job placement support. Nai Udaan support for minority candidates who’ve cleared their UPSC Prelims. The PMJVK ( Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram) a centrally sponsored Core Scheme identified by the Niti Aayog to develop infrastructure and basic amenities in 1300 areas where large numbers of minorities are present. Across 32 states and 308 districts. Projects include IIT’s, Polytechs, Residential schools, College buildings, Labs, Computer rooms, Sanitation projects etc with budget allocation of over 10000 crores over the last 7 years.
These schemes come are implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs which addresses all minorities Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis.
The repeal of the Triple Talaq Law will boost the confidence and social security for countless Muslim women. Communal Riots are also more or less a thing of the past. Rival parties and leaders must realize that Appeasement Politics won’t cut it anymore. Modi also has strong personal relations and friendship with leaders of Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and till recently Afghanistan besides others. A lot more remains to be done before the spectre of communal violence, intimidation, rhetoric, conversions and reconversions, coercion and the legacy atmosphere of mistrust is completely removed and we work towards being One Nation, One People again.
Demonetization also bore out the trust and confidence common people had in what was being attempted. The merits or demerits of that as an economic argument are always up for discussion, but it is to his credit and the credit of the people that there were no social disruptions on the streets when there were long staggering lines at ATM’s and Bank’s as people waited to withdraw cash from their own accounts. The cash one could withdraw was limited too but there was not one incident in so vast a country with a very large section dependent on cash at that time.
Under the Sab ka Vishwaas banner, a word on the strengthening of internal security, security agencies and our borders and the firm and quick response to terrorist acts and acts of terrorism have been great confidence boosters. No matter what side of the fence they sit on, everyone’s chest swelled with pride and they walked two inches taller when the Uri Surgical strike and the Balakot Strikes took place. This is not to say that such operations haven’t been carried out successfully earlier, but the fact that it was quick, decisive and made public gave us all a sense of not only pride but realisation, that the old ways of turning the other cheek, perceived weakness in backroom discussions and the acceptance that these incidents are par for the course were gone. Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Doklam as Defence Minister at that time, during the standoff with the Chinese also sent the right message besides ofcourse the optics both for international and domestic consumption. The transgressions in Ladakh and Arunachal have also been met appropriately with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the helm and with India winning international support on these issues shows that the political and military establishments are in sync which is a great sign.
Another great initiative in this regard is NATGRID the National Intelligence Grid mooted by P Chidambram after the 26/11 attack providing cutting edge technology and a seamless and secure database to counter terrorism agencies all linked via national grid which will integrate in the coming years over 1000 organisations on to the platform. Intelligence Agencies such as NIA, RAW, CBI, DRI, NCG, FIU etc are all part of this grid where data is captured and monitored. Work on this had slowed down after 2012 but was revived in 2014 after Modi came to power.
To take it a little further, one has only to look at the stature and standing and personal relationships Modi enjoys with foreign Heads of State. From a time when no one wanted to have anything to do with him, when certain countries weren’t even granting him a visa, he has gone on to become the golden one in international politics. All the world leaders want to do business with him and he is an honoured invitee at Leadership Forums all across the world. His views on International cooperation, business, policy, renewable energy, climate and environment, anti terrorism, global governance not only bring out India’s ‘proactive strong and sensitive fast track diplomacy’ tact but the trust and confidence he enjoys of international leaders the world over. Everyone now wants to do business with India and are forging cooperation, alliances and strategic partnerships in defence, business and trade, development, climate and environment and finance.
Swacha Bharat
A landmark cry from the ramparts of the Red Fort on his first Independence Day speech in 2014. The first time a Prime Minister or anyone actually choose to speak of so vital and critical an issue in the public domain. The benefits are for all to see. While the physical benefits of toilets for all and open defecation free India are visible and measurable and an ongoing porches, it is the changing of mindsets that is the big win. When habits are changed, that’s when real transformation takes place. This has also led to the added benefits of health and nutritional habits. Coverage of toilets increased from 34% to 95% in 2019. The aim now is too make cities garbage free through technology driven sanitation and waste management along with public participation. These things are possible only when there is direction from the top. Nothing happens on its own unfortunately. One would think cleanliness and hygiene is a personal requirement but it seems it wasn’t so. Things though are changing.
Ease of Living
The Ease of Living programme is being run in the rural areas through Gram Panchayats and village households making life easier on a set of parameters including basic amenities like home, food, electricity, LPG, toilets, employment, self help groups, village infrastructure and so on and a lot of flagship programmes are ongoing. The PM Awaas Yojana has delivered 1.78 crore houses so far, Crop Insurance to 5.29 crore farmers, Jan Aarogya to almost 64 lac beneficiaries, optical fibre network to 1.29 ac gram panchayats etc.
The Aspirational Districts programme where a new call out has been made to District Magistrates by the PM to target 100% saturation of government services and to identify 10 tasks to be completed in the next three months to enhance ease of living and a two year target for raids, Ayushman cards, Ujjwala gas connections etc.
Reform Transform Perform
All these initiatives bring us to the new jumla Reform, Perform, Transform. We’ve already seen the Union Government and bureaucratic machinery arriving office on time, a fact he lamented stating that if people coming to office punctually makes news, it shows the sloth and don’t care attitude we all have got used to. By ensuring accountability, high targets, ambitious even audacious goals, he has set the bar high for all officers and States. Competitive Cooperative Federalism where States now compete on parameters for development and good governance and has made states and the centre a part of Team India for national development.
Reforms in business, taxation, laws, compliances some listed above and bold initiatives like the abolition of Article 370 and Article 35A are ongoing. The scrapping of the new Farm Laws though is a setback and one didn’t expect the Government to back down from it. The announcement of reversing then laws though, made by the PM himself to the nation in a public apology itself is an indication not only of optics ( any secretary could have made a Press announcement to the effect) but also of the seriousness of the issue both to the constituency and the public at large.
The mantra is a guideline for all Ministries and Departments and even for our own mindsets to use in our own work, business, goals, expectations and so on. It entails changing the way we work, deliver services, set up expectations and get rid of the chalta hai attitude.
As mentioned earlier it takes execution to transform jumlas into tangible results and whilst a lot has been done over the years including during previous regimes, a lot remains to be done especially in areas of cost of living, education, research and development, broader tax net lower taxation, national development, legal reforms and justice expediency and so on, but it is only with strong and effective leadership that bold steps can be taken. India needs strong leadership, Gandhi, Nehru,Sardar Patel, Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Vajpayee were all tall, strong leaders and so is Modi with his ambitious goals and audacious targets together with the strong organisation the party has from its Ministers right up to the grassroots level, could be the engine that could take the country to great heights.
As the largest party in the world and the only effective National Party, it has an even higher responsibility to all the citizens of the country. It is a sad lament that the Congress, the grand old party has ceded its national relevance. A strong democracy needs a strong and relevant opposition as well and whilst regional parties may be at play in various states, none of them have a pan nation appeal. Leadership, depth of leadership and well ironed processes and discipline is what the party has to its advantage. Their booth level organisation across states balancing the diverse groups, castes, subcastes and local politics and getting the electoral arithmetic right is something others can learn from but more importantly the days of appeasement politics are over and delivery of services and governance are here to stay.
These are very strange and interesting times and the world is changing ever so rapidly as economic systems, political spectrums, and technology evolve in an ever dynamic world. We need strong and focussed leadership with an understanding and clarity of vision to propel us into the future. As The Doors sang a long time ago, ‘keep your hands on the road and your hands upon the wheel’ I think if he’s driving I’ll just tag along for the ride as a Matwala Rahi…
Ravi Sasan 