Excerpts from PM’s address at Community Event in Muscat, Oman

In our country, the LED bulb which used to sell for more than Rs. 350 before the year 2014, the same LED bulb is now available for Rs. 40-45. In addition to having affordable LED bulbs, the households that have been using them have been able to save around Rs. 15,000 crore in electricity bills per year. Today, every Indian has been working towards realising the dream of a New India. We have been moving in the direction of an India where the poorest of the poor person gets the equal opportunity for progress, where the poorest of the poor person can see dreams and fulfill them. Today, I see a Mini India before me. Indians from every corner of the country, Indians working in different sectors, present a grand view. I’ve visited Oman nearly 10 years ago. I was going to Africa as then chief minister of Gujarat and during that journey I had passed through Salala. I was longing to visit Oman to meet all of you, to be amongst you. Today, that opportunity has come. Relations between India and Oman are hundreds of, thousands of years old. From the last three years, we have been giving a new shape to India’s ancient and friendly relations with the gulf countries as per the present requirement by formulating a policy. You people would have also noticed as to what extent the interest of gulf countries in India has gone up along with India’s rising stature and progress. Naturally, there is a new momentum in India’s historic relations with Oman. His Majesty Sultan also has a distinguished relation with India. Today, my presence in this stadium named after His Majesty Sultan to have an audience with you people in such a large numbers has a special importance. This reflects that how much warmth His Majesty Sultan himself has shown for India and Indians. We are extremely grateful to him for this special gesture. We have been working to make the life of the common man of the country easier by following the formula of: Minimum Government – Maximum Governance. We have included all these things in culture of the government: simplification of the processes; repealing unnecessary laws; reducing the size of forms in the government office from 40-50 pages to 4-5 pages; creating system for online filling of those forms; giving a sincere hearing to the grievances of the people and work on them. In the changed India, now the poor people are not being insultingly turned back from the banks. In the changed India, the government is coming home to provide the gas connection, to provide the electricity connection. The poor people have been given life and safety insurance at a premium of 90 paise per day and one rupee per day. An amount of Rs. 2,000 crore has been disbursed as the claim to poor people under these insurance schemes. We have announced such a scheme in the budget that has grabbed the attention of the entire world. Under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme we have been providing for the health insurance to 10 crore poor families of the country, it means nearly 45-50 crore people. We have given assurance for the free treatment of up to Rs. 5 lakh to a poor family. At present, the next generation infrastructure is being developed in the country by taking into account the requirement of the 21st century. Especially, we have been developing the transport sector in such a manner that different components complement each other. Highways, airways, railways and waterways, all these have been integrated as per the requirement of each other. The work to construct 53 thousand kilometer long national highways has been started under the Bharatmala project. The work to develop railway corridors in different parts of the country has been going on. Metro rail has been expanded to 11 large cities of the country. We have been operating a programme under the name of Sagarmala to develop the coastal economy of the country and infrastructure related with it. We have started a Blue Revolution scheme for the brothers from the fishing community and we have been helping them to purchase modern trawlers. Also, the government has been developing more than 110 waterways in the country. Now, the decisions are not delayed in India; now the challenges are being confronted. The projects are being completed on time by setting the target. This is an example of changing work culture of India. It’s an example of a New India. The country’s funds are saved when the decisions are taken with a clear conscience and as per a well laid out policy. When the work is being carried out in an efficient manner, when the present resources are being utilised in the best possible manner then the country’s funds are saved. I consider you people an important partner in the development of the country and in the nation building. The impact of the solemn pledges made by you people for making a New India will also be seen in India.