“We see a renewed hope and belief in international community regarding India's economic growth”: Shri Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has said the Central Government during the last 48 months has achieved notable successes. Addressing a press conference in Bhopal today, Shri Rajnath Singh said we see a renewed hope and belief in international community regarding India's economic growth prospects. In last four years India's standing in international fora and our economic stature has increased manifold, he added.

“There was a time when India’s GDP growth rate used to hover around 3 percent and it was called “Hindu Rate of Growth”. After Independence for decades India's GDP growth was very less. International community doubted our ability to register impressive growth. It was during the tenure of the former Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee Indian economy realised its true potential and our GDP crossed 8 percent,” said Shri Rajnath Singh.

As a result of fiscal prudence, Shri Rajnath Singh said the fiscal deficit is under check and the Current Account Deficit in fact has been bridged to the extent that we are now Current Account Surplus.

Admitting there is some pressure due to rising US dollar and crude oil prices, Shri Rajnath Singh assured the government is seriously thinking on issues related to rising oil prices. However, there is no crisis because our forex reserves at $400 billion are very comfortable, he added.

Stating that there is a big change and faster growth in the infrastructure development, Shri Rajnath Singh said our Government has made 27 kms of highways everyday for four years compared to 12 kms previously. Rural road connectivity has also improved vastly from 56 percent to 82 percent of villages during the period.

The Union Home Minister said it is our firm resolve that by 2022 farmers incomes will double and towards this end the Union Government has taken many initiatives. The Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme is a big step towards farmers’ welfare. Our Government is conscious of bringing down input costs while farmers are being extended loan at low interest rates. The e-NAM (e-National Agriculture Market) has enabled linking of 585 “mandis”, Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), across the country.

Shri Rajnath Singh said the JAM- Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhar and Mobile connectivity- which facilitated direct transfer of subsidies to beneficiaries, has ensured the various benefits reach the poor directly and leakages are plugged. Rs 69,815 crores has been distributed among 20 crore beneficiaries. By implementing Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) we have ensured that there are no leakages in distributing benefits to people. This helped the Government save around 70,000 crore rupees. Of the total banks accounts opened in the world in last four years, 55 percent were opened in India under the PM Jan Dhan Yojana.

“I specially mentioned about Jan Dhan accounts because the subsidy money that people are receiving through direct money transfer has been made possible by opening of these accounts,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh said our Government has introduced ‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme to provide health cover to ten crore poor families of our country. Poor people will get benefits upto Rs 5 lakhs under this Health Insurance scheme.  “It is the largest state-run medical scheme in the world, excelling even the famed Obama Care scheme,” he said.

The Union Home Minister said we have taken some strong decisions to tackle corruption. “I am not saying that we have eradicated it completely. But by ensuring transparency in system we have made serious efforts to curb it in a big way,” said Shri Rajnath Singh.

On Women’s Safety, the Union Home Minister said amendment has been made to provide death penalty for rape of minors below 12 years of age. He said there is marked improvement in LWE scenario as well. “While 76 districts were affected by LWE violence in 2013, that number has come down to 58 now,” said Shri Rajnath Singh. In Jammu and Kashmir, our Government has successfully eliminated 619 terrorists in four years, compared to 413 terrorists killed during the period 2010-13.

Shri Rajnath Singh said the people have seen Governments working before also but it has happened only under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that an elected Government has every year presented details of the work done by them in front of public.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan also attended the press conference.