PM’s speech at inauguration of Azadi @75 conference and expo in Lucknow

Governor of Uttar Pradesh Smt. Anandiben Patel ji, my colleague in the Union Cabinet and MP from Lucknow and our senior colleague, Shri Rajnath Singh ji, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri ji, Mahendra Nath Pandey ji, popular Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya ji, Shri Dinesh Sharma ji, my colleague in the Union Cabinet, Shri Kaushal Kishor ji, state government ministers, MPs, MLAs, all respected ministers from different parts of the country, all other dignitaries and my dear sisters and brothers from Uttar Pradesh. When I come to Lucknow, the history of Awadh region, sweet dialect like Malihabadi Dussehri, food habits, skillful workmanship, art-architecture, everything is conspicuous. I liked the idea that experts from all over the country are going to come together and brainstorm on the new urban India, i.e., the new complexion of the cities of India, in Lucknow for three days. The exhibition here definitely displays the achievements of 75 years and the new resolutions of the country in this Amrit festival of independence. I have noticed that when a defence exhibition was organized last time, the people came to visit it not only from Lucknow, but the entire Uttar Pradesh. This time also, I would request the citizens here to see this exhibition. You must watch this exhibition which showcases India’s prowess and awakens our faith. Today 75 projects related to the development of the cities of UP have either been inaugurated or their foundation stone laid. Today, 75,000 beneficiaries have got the keys of their pucca houses in 75 districts of UP. All these friends will celebrate Dussehra, Diwali, Chhath, Guru Purab, Eid-e-Milad and many more festivals in their new homes this year. I’ve got a lot of satisfaction after talking to a few people here and there is also an invitation for lunch. I am also happy that of the houses being given under the PM Awas Yojana in the country, the ownership of more than 80 percent of them is with women or they are joint owners. I have been told that the UP government has also taken a good decision related to women’s homes. Women are also being given a rebate of 2% in stamp duty on registration of houses up to Rs 10 lakh. This is a very commendable decision. It does not strike our mind that much when we talk about the ownership of property in the women’s name. Let me delve you into a world and only then you will realize the importance of this decision. Look around any family. I am not saying whether it is right or wrong. I am only stating the position. If there is a house, it is in the name of the husband, if there is a field, it is in the name of the husband, if there is a car, it is in the name of the husband, if there is a scooter, it is in the name of the husband. If there is a shop, it is in the name of the husband and if the husband is no more then it passes on to his son. But there is nothing in the name of the mother. Some steps need to be taken to strike a balance for a healthy society and hence we have decided that the women will get the ownership of the houses given by the government. Friends, There is another complimentary occasion for Lucknow. Lucknow has given a visionary in the form of Atal ji who was dedicated to the nation, to Maa Bharati. In his memory, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chair is being established in Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University today. I am sure that this chair will bring Atal ji’s vision, his actions and his contribution in nation building on the world stage. India’s 75 years of foreign policy had many turning points, but Atal ji gave it a new direction. His efforts for the connectivity of the country and the people are the strong foundation of present-day India. Think over it. On the one hand, there was the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and, on the other hand, the Golden Quadrangle – North-East, East-West, and North-South-East-West Corridors i.e. his vision and development efforts on both sides (rural as well as urban). Friends, Years ago, when Atal ji had floated the idea of connecting the metropolitan cities of the country through National Highways, some people did not believe it. And 6-7 years ago, when I talked about mammoth infrastructure projects like crores of pucca houses for the poor, crores of toilets, fast running trains, piped gas in cities, optical fiber etc, even then people had doubts. But the world is watching India’s success in these campaigns. The number of pucca houses that India is building today under the PM Awas Yojana is more than the total population of many countries of the world. There was a time when it used to take years to get the permission of the house till its completion. Questions were also raised about the quality of the houses (under government schemes). Small houses, poor construction material, manipulation in allotment were the destiny of my poor brothers and sisters. In 2014, the country gave us an opportunity to serve and I am especially grateful to Uttar Pradesh for ushering me to the country’s Parliament. And when you gave us the responsibility, we tried sincerely to fulfill our responsibility. Friends, The government before 2014 had sanctioned only 13 lakh houses under urban housing schemes in the country. Remember the figure? The previous government sanctioned 13 lakh houses and only 8 lakh houses were built. Since 2014, our government has approved the construction of more than 1.13 crore houses in cities under the PM Awas Yojana. Look at the difference between 13 lakh and 1.13 crore! Out of this, more than 50 lakh houses have been built and handed over to the poor. Friends, A building can be made from bricks and stones, but it cannot necessarily be called a house. But that building becomes a home when the dream of every member of the family is attached to it, there is belongingness and the family members are working wholeheartedly for a goal. Friends, We gave complete freedom to beneficiaries right from the design of the house to the construction. They can build their houses as they wish. One cannot decide from air-conditioned rooms in Delhi whether the window will be here or there. There was no clear policy about the size of the houses under the government schemes before 2014. Some houses were built on 15 sq. meter land, while some others on 17 sq. meter land. It was very difficult to live in those small houses. Our government made a comprehensive policy regarding the size of the houses after 2014. We decided that no house smaller than 22 square meters will be built. Along with increasing the size of the house, we started sending money directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Very little has been discussed about the amount that has been sent to the bank accounts of the poor to build houses. You will be surprised to know that the central government has transferred about one lakh crore rupees to the bank accounts of the poor under the PM Awas Yojana- Urban. Friends, There are some gentlemen in our country who keep saying that we have made Modi the Prime Minister, but what has Modi done? Today, for the first time, I want to tell you something, after which some important opponents, who spend their energy day and night opposing us, will become more aggressive. I know that but I think I should still tell you. Three crore such families, who are my family members and who used to live in slums and who did not have a pucca roof, have got an opportunity to become lakhpati with a single scheme. Three crore poor families out of a rough estimate of about 25-30 crore families have become lakhpatis in such a short tenure. This is very important in itself. Now you will ask me how Modi can make such boisterous claims. You just guess the price of about three crore houses that have been built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. These people are now lakhpatis. We have fulfilled the biggest dream of poor families by building three crore pucca houses. Friends, I am reminded of the days when, despite all the efforts, there was no progress in the construction of houses in Uttar Pradesh. Since I am in Lucknow today, I think I should tell you in detail! Are you prepared to listen? It is necessary for the people of UP to know how our urban planning becomes a victim of politics. Friends, The central government was giving money to build houses for the poor. The previous government in Uttar Pradesh before Yogi ji came to power in 2017 was not interested in building houses for the poor. We had to plead with those who were in the government here earlier to build houses for the poor. Before 2017, 18,000 houses were approved for UP under the PM Awas Yojana. But the government which was here did not even build 18 houses for the poor under the PM Awas Yojana. Can you imagine that 18,000 houses were approved, but not even 18 houses were built for the poor? You should ponder over these things, my brothers and sisters. There was money, there was approval for houses, but those who were ruling UP were constantly creating obstacles in it. The people of UP, including the poor, can never forget their acts. Friends, I am satisfied that nine lakh houses have been given to the urban poor in UP after the formation of the Yogi ji’s government. Now 14 lakh houses are in different stages of construction in UP for our poor brothers and sisters living in the cities. With facilities like electricity, water, gas, toilet etc also being made available in the house, the house warming ceremony is also being held with joy and gaiety. Now that I have come to Uttar Pradesh, I feel like giving you some homework too. Should I? But you will have to do it? Will you? I have read this in newspapers and I was probably asking Yogi ji as well. Reportedly, there will be a programme in Ayodhya when 7.5 lakh lamps will be lit on Deepawali. I urge Uttar Pradesh to come forward in this competition for illumination. Who lights more lamps? Whether Ayodhya or 18 lakh lamps by these nine lakh houses, which have been given today? Can it be made possible? These nine lakh families, who have got houses in the last seven years, should light two lamps outside their houses. While 7.5 lakh lamps will be lit in Ayodhya and 18 lakh lamps will be lit in the houses of my poor families. Lord Rama will be pleased. Brothers and sisters, In the last few decades, many huge buildings have come up in our cities, but those who labour to build these buildings have slums in their share. The condition of slums is such where even basic facilities like water and toilets are not available. The construction of pucca houses has been a huge help to our brothers and sisters living in the slums. The government has started a scheme for the workers migrating from villages to cities for work to get better accommodation at reasonable rent. Friends, Our government has made a very solemn effort to overcome the problems and challenges of the urban middle class. Real Estate Regulatory Authority i.e. RERA has been one such big step. This law has helped in ending the mistrust and fraud in the entire housing sector. With the enactment of this law, the home buyers are also getting timely justice. We have also earmarked a special fund of thousands of crores of rupees to complete the unfinished houses in the cities. Lakhs of rupees are also being given to the first-time home buyers to enable the middle class to fulfill their home dreams. They are also helped by low interest rates. Recently, the Model Tenancy Act has also been forwarded to the states, and I am happy that the UP government has implemented it immediately. With this law, the age-old problems of both the landlord and the tenant are being addressed. This will also make it easier to get a house on rent and will give a boost to the rental property market, creating more investment and employment opportunities. Brothers and sisters, The life of the urban middle class has become easier due to the new rules regarding work from home during the Corona period. The ease of remote working has been a great relief to the middle class colleagues in the Corona era. Brothers and sisters, If you remember, we often used to hear negative narratives about the cleanliness of our cities before 2014. Filth was accepted as the nature of urban life. Indifference towards cleanliness not only affects the beauty of the cities and tourism, but endangers the health of the people. The country is running a huge campaign under Swachh Bharat Mission and AMRUT Mission to change this situation. Over the years, over 60 lakh private toilets and over six lakh community toilets have been built in cities. Till seven years ago, where only 18 percent of the waste could be disposed of, it has now increased to 70 percent today. Here in UP also, a huge capacity of waste processing has been developed in the last few years. It was very relaxing to find several such things in the exhibition today. Now a campaign to remove the mounds of garbage in the cities has also been started under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan 2.0. Friends, LED lights have played another important role in enhancing the grandeur of the cities. The government has replaced more than 90 lakh old street lights in the country with LEDs under a campaign. With the installation of LED street lights, the urban bodies are also saving about 1,000 crore rupees every year. Now these urban bodies can and are investing this amount in other development works. LEDs have also significantly reduced the electricity bill of the people living in the cities. The LED bulb, which used to be costlier than Rs 300 earlier, has been given by the government for Rs 50-60 under the Ujala scheme. About 37 crore LED bulbs have been distributed under this scheme. As a result, about 24,000 crore rupees of the poor and middle class have been saved in the electricity bill. Friends, In 21st century India, the most important way to revive cities is the maximum use of technology. The institutions involved in the development of cities and the city planners will have to give top priority to technology in their approach. Friends, When we used to live in a small locality in Gujarat and whenever there was a mention of Lucknow, people would often say that whenever they go to Lucknow they get to hear ‘Pehle Aap’. Though I am saying in jest, we will have to say ‘Pehle Aap’ to technology too. The huge change in the urban sector in India in the last 6-7 years has been made possible only due to technology. Technology is the basis of the Integrated Command and Control Centers that are running in more than 70 cities of the country today. It is the technology which is powering the vast network of CCTV cameras in the cities across the country. The culprits have to think a hundred times (before committing crimes) due to more than 30,000 modern CCTV cameras which have been installed in 75 cities of the country. These CCTVs are also helping a lot in getting the criminals punished. Friends, It is also due to technology that thousands of tons of garbage are disposed and processed every day in the cities of India and then being used in the construction of roads. I have seen several Wealth from Waste projects in the exhibition. These experiments are very inspiring. Friends, Today, modern technology is increasing the capacity of sewage treatment plants being built across the country. The National Common Mobility Card is a gift of technology itself. At this event, 75 electric buses have been flagged off; it is also a reflection of modern technology. Friends, I just saw a house being built in Lucknow under the Lighthouse project. The technology being used in these houses will not require plaster and paint. The already prepared walls will be used in these houses. This will speed up the construction of houses. I am sure all the people who have come to Lucknow from all over the country will learn a lot from this project and try to implement it in their cities also. Friends, The PM SVANidhi Yojana is also an example of how technology changes the lives of the poor. There has been a tradition of different types of markets in many cities like Lucknow. Our street vendors enhance the beauty of the weekly markets. Technology has proved to be a boon for these brothers and sisters. Under the PM SVANidhi Yojana, street vendors are being linked with banks. Financial help of more than Rs 2500 crore has been given to more than 25 lakh friends under this scheme. More than seven lakh friends of UP have benefited from the SVANidhi Yojana. With their banking history, they are conducting more and more digital transactions. I am also happy that out of the top three cities that have benefited the most from the SVANidhi scheme, two are from our Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is number one in the country and Kanpur is at number two. This is a huge help in this time of Corona. I appreciate Yogi ji’s government for this. Friends, Today, when I am talking about digital transactions by our street vendors, I am also reminded of the scheme being ridiculed earlier. It was said that how these less educated people would be able to do digital transactions. But the street vendors associated with the SVANidhi scheme have done more than seven crore digital transactions so far. Now when they buy something from wholesalers also, they do digital payment only. Today, due to such friends, India is making new records in digital payments. In the last three months i.e. July, August, September, digital transactions of more than Rs 6 lakh crore have taken place every month. The footfall of people in banks is also declining. This demonstrates the change and the strength of India adopting technology. Friends, Over the years, both the traffic problem and the pollution challenge in India have been addressed with a holistic approach. Metro train is also a great example of this. Today India is expanding Metro services rapidly to major cities across the country. In 2014, where the Metro used to run on less than 250 km of route, today it is running in about 700 km. The officers briefed me today that the Metro work is progressing on 1,050 kilometers. Metro network is expanding in six cities of UP too. Whether it is the goal of operating electric buses in more than 100 cities or the UDAN scheme, they are also giving impetus to urban development. India of the 21st century will now move forward with the power of multi-modal connectivity and the preparations are going on very fast. And friends, The biggest positive impact of all these urban infrastructure projects is employment generation in cities whether it is the Metro work, construction of houses, or work related to electricity and water. Experts consider them to be force-multipliers. Therefore, we have to maintain the momentum of these projects. Brothers and sisters, The life of the entire India and Indian culture is enveloped in Uttar Pradesh. This is the land of Lord Shri Rama, Shri Krishna and Lord Buddha. It is our responsibility to modernize the cities in order to nurture the rich heritage of UP. The people of Uttar Pradesh are well aware of the contrast in UP now and before 2017. Earlier, electricity in UP was barely there and outages were frequent. Moreover, electricity was available in the areas where the politicians wanted. Electricity was not a facility but a tool of politics, the road was built only when there was a recommendation and all of you are aware of the condition of water. Now electricity is available to everyone and everywhere equally. Now even the poor’s houses get electricity. The village road does not require any recommendation. In short, the will that is needed for urban development is also there in UP today. I am sure that the projects for which the foundation stone has been laid today will be completed expeditiously under the leadership of Yogi ji. Once again, many congratulations to all of you on the development projects. Many thanks!