100 days of Modi 3.0: Ministries gear up to share success stories
In the run-up to the first 100 days of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, ministries and departments have started making plans to showcase works they have accomplished since ministers took oath on June 9.
The 100-day events will coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 74th birthday on September 17, making the date doubly special, though celebrations are still not in the air.
In the first 100 days of Modi 3.0 government, the Centre unveiled guaranteed pension for its staff recruited after 2003,
Rs 5 lakh-a-year health insurance cover to senior citizens above 70 years
irrespective of income status, and
30 million new houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the next few years.
The call for restoration of the unfunded old pension scheme (OPS) was resisted, the government’s new Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) is fully funded one. Under UPS, government staff would be entitled to 50% of average last 12 months’ basic pay and dearness allowance as pension, inflation-adjusted dearness relief, pension to the spouse upon death of the pensioner at 60% of last pension drawn and a minimum Rs 10,000 pension.
All these benefits are nearly similar to OPS, without putting the exchequer to any major fiscal risk.
The NDA governments in 2014 and 2019, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had single party majority, celebrated their respective first 100 days in the first week of September by highlighting that the steps taken were evidence of it fulfilling the commitment both to the party’s poll promises and the Sangh Parivar’s core agenda, such as the repeal Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
However, in 2024, with the BJP running a government after failing to secure a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own, the focus will be to showcase continuity in governance and delivery on promises made to “four castes” or “pillars” of new India, namely women, farmers, the poor and youth.
Fiscal consolidation and infrastructure push remain the government’s top priorities, with a widening of social security cover. The period also saw a few policy rollbacks, showing underlying political pressures.
The Budget FY25 unveiled three employment-linked incentive schemes – one for first-timers, another for manufacturing jobs, and a third one incentivising formalisation (employee benefits). Many experts have highlighted the lacunae in these schemes, and their inadequacy in addressing the problem of high unemployment.
The schemes are yet to be rolled out, as the details and operational parameters are being worked out.
The first 100 days of Modi 3.0 also saw the government rolling back the Budget decision to deny indexation benefits on long-term capital gains which caused concerns among the middle class and the real estate sector, and the shelving of the broadcast Bill, that was designed to put fresh controls on online content.
The long-pending agenda of restructuring Goods and Service Tax (GST) with a reduction in slabs and rate rationlisation has been given a fresh impetus, with the reconstitution of a group of ministers, designated to suggest how these changes have to be made.
 |
| Blogger |
In June 2024 within days of taking over the reins of power for a record third consecutive term, the Modi Govt had stated that towards nearing the end of its Second term the government brought Anusudhan National research foundation (NRF) legislation was introduced which makes India A frontline nation in Science and technology.
Highlighting India’ s progress in the Space sector, the government had had said -- “India’s esteem has risen due to its achievements in Space with successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the moon and steady progress towards India”s first Human Space flight mission – Gaganyaan mission.”
"We have no dearth of Scientific Acumen in the country, only lacking was the commitment from the policy making side emphasising the government’s focus," Union Minister Jeetendra Singh had said.
Dr. Singh also briefed that Innovation in Bio-economy, Blue-economy, Space economy will remain a priority.
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment