NEW DELHI/VARANASI: At the "Kisan Samman Sammelan" in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday termed the Lok Sabha election mandate "unprecedented" as it returned the incumbent BJP-led NDA government for the third time. He called it a "rare feat among the global democracies".
During the programme, Mr Modi released the 17th installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), amounting to over Rs 20,000 crores to around 9.26 crore beneficiary farmers. He also handed over certificates to more than 30,000 women "Krishi Sakhis" from self-help groups (SHGs).
In his address, the Prime Minister said, “This kind of hat-trick happened in India more than 60 years ago. In a country like India, where youth aspirations are so high, if a government is returned to power after 10 years of reign, it is a massive victory and a huge vote of trust. And this trust of yours is my biggest capital and keeps me energised for taking the country to new heights.”
On his first visit to his parliamentary constituency after winning the Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister greeted the people of Varanasi and thanked them for choosing him for the third consecutive time. “Now even Maa Ganga seems to have adopted me and I have turned local for Kashi,” he said.
The Prime Minister noted that the recently concluded general election for the 18th Lok Sabha symbolised the vastness, capabilities, comprehensiveness and roots of India’s democracy and presented it to the world.
Noting that more than 64 crore people voted in these elections, the Prime Minister said that an election of such scale does not take place anywhere else, witnessing such immense participation from the citizens.
Recalling his recent visit to the G-7 summit in Italy, the Prime Minister pointed out that the number of voters in India is one-and-a-half times more than the number of voters in all G-7 nations put together and more than two-and-a-half times greater than the number of voters in all the member countries of the European Union.
Mr Modi highlighted the high participation of women voters, totaling more than 31 crores, and said that it is the highest number of women voters in the world, referring to a single nation.
“The power and beauty of India’s democracy not only attracts the entire world but also leaves an impact,” Mr Modi said.
The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to thank the people of Varanasi for taking part in the festival of democracy and making it a grand success. “The people of Varanasi have not only elected a member of Parliament but the Prime Minister itself,” he said.
The Prime Minister also witnessed Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and performed pooja and darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple during his Varanasi visit.
In his address, the Prime Minister reiterated the importance that he accords to farmers, nari shakti, youth and the poor as pillars of developed India. He said that the first decision of his new third-term government after its formation was about farmers and poor families.
“These decisions regarding 3-crore additional households under the PM Awas Yojna or the instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi will help crores of people,” he said.
Calling the Krishi Sakhi initiative a strong step in the direction of creating a 3-crore "Lakhpati Didis", Mr Modi said that the initiative will ensure the dignity and assurance of a source of income for the beneficiary women.
“PM Kisan Samman Nidhi has emerged as the world’s largest direct benefit transfer scheme,” the Prime Minister said, highlighting that more than Rs 3.25-lakh crores have been transferred into the bank accounts of crores of farmers, Rs 700 crores have been transferred to the families in Varanasi alone.
The Prime Minister lauded the use of technology in taking the benefits to the deserved beneficiaries and also credited the "Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra", which enabled more than 1 crore farmers to register themselves under the PM KISAN scheme.
He noted that rules and regulations have been simplified to increase accessibility. “Work related to farmers’ welfare takes place at a fast pace when intentions and beliefs are in the right place,” Mr Modi.
Dwelling upon the role of the agri-ecosystem in making India the world’s third-largest economy in the 21st century, Mr Modi stressed the need for a global outlook and urgency for self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds.
Noting the presence of women in large numbers, the Prime Minister underlined their importance and support in agriculture and mentioned expanding the scope of agriculture to boost their contributions and the Krishi Sakhi programme is a step in this direction similar to the "Drone Didi" programme.
Highlighting the contribution of women as Asha workers and Bank Sakhis, the Prime Minister said that the nation will now witness their capabilities as Krishi Sakhis.
Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Union minister for Agriculture and farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chauhan were present on occasion, among other dignitaries.
