On 16th December (Saturday), Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with and addressed the beneficiaries of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) which recently completed its one month. During his address, PM Modi asserted that the ‘Modi ki guarantee’ vehicle is now reaching all parts of the country.
Notably, PM Modi had flagged off the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra on 15th November from Khunti, Jharkhand and it is the largest ever-outreach initiative of the Indian government. With the spirit of “Jan Bhagidari”, the initiative aims to ensure 100% saturation of government schemes. It will cover 2.60 lakh Gram Panchayats and 4000+ urban local bodies across the nation by 25th January 2024.
During today’s event, PM Modi interacted with thousands of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra beneficiaries from across the country. This was the fourth time that PM Modi interacted with various benefactors since the start of this yatra. A large number of Union Ministers, MPs, MLAs, and local-level representatives also joined the program.
During the programme, PM Modi noted that the VBSY could not begin earlier due to the Model Code of Conduct during elections. He urged the newly elected governments of the five states to rapidly expand the VBSY in their state. Consequently, the Prime Minister flagged off the VBSY in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram.
Addressing the beneficiaries, PM Modi stated that in its one-month journey, the VBSY has reached thousands of villages as well as 1500 cities which include smaller cities and towns.
Highlighting its Jan Andolan aspect, PM Modi asserted, “Even though Modi has flagged off the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra, the truth is that today the countrymen have taken charge of it.”
PM Modi stressed that the government is focussed on reducing people’s issues as a family member. He also highlighted the assistance provided by the government during the coronavirus pandemic, including disbursal of thousands of crores of rupees into the bank accounts of 20 crore women, ensuring free covid vaccine, free ration for poor families, and assistance worth lakhs of crores to small businesses.
PM Modi remarked, “Modi’s guarantee begins when expectations from others cease.”
PM Modi added that the government is committed to saving money for urban families, be it exemption in income tax or low-cost treatment. He highlighted the inclusion of crores of urban poor where the Ayushman Card has helped them save Rs 1 lakh crore on medical expenses. He also mentioned the Jan Aushadhi Kendras where medicines are made available at an 80 percent discount, thus saving more than Rs 25,000 crores for the poor and middle class living in cities.
PM Modi also informed the government’s decision to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to 25,000. Concluding the address, PM Modi noted, “‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ vehicle is also empowering both youth power and women” and urged everyone to take maximum advantage of VBSY.
Here are the key statistics and achievements of the VBSY: (As of December 16, 2023; 1:00 PM)
In a short span of just one month, the Yatra has reached more than 2.50 Crore citizens across 68,000 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country. Further, nearly 2 Crore individuals have taken Viksit Bharat Sankalp and over 2 Crore beneficiaries of Central Government Schemes have shared their experiences under the ‘Meri Kahani Meri Zubani’ initiative.