PM’s address at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (Urban)
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 16 Dec, 2023

Namaskar to everybody! Vehicle of Modi’s is reaching every corner of the country with the resolution of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. It has been a month since this ‘yatra’ began, and it has already reached thousands of villages and over one thousand five hundred cities. Most of these are small towns and villages. As I mentioned earlier, this ‘yatra’ has now started in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram from today as well. This ‘yatra’ could not be started in these states due to the election code of conduct. I urge the new governments in these states to quickly expand the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ in their respective states. Friends, Even though Modi has flagged off the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’, the truth is that the people of the country have taken charge of this ‘yatra’ now. The beneficiaries I spoke to show how enthusiastic the people of the country are about this ‘yatra’. Wherever the ‘yatra’ ends, people from other villages or cities start leading it. I have learned that there is a huge competition going on for the welcome of the ‘Modi’s guaranteed vehicle’ with people using new ways to welcome it. And I have seen that young people nowadays make extensive use of selfies, taking selfies with the vehicle and uploading them. And many people are becoming ambassadors of ‘Viksit Bharat’. There is a plan to become the ambassador of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by downloading the NaMo app. Everyone is joining it. Whether it’s a village or a city, a large number of people are participating in a quiz competition, a program with questions and answers, which not only increases knowledge but also provides information. People are participating in this competition as well. Through these competitions, people are not only winning prizes but also gaining new knowledge and sharing it with others. Friends, Since the start of this ‘yatra’, this is the fourth time I am virtually connected to it. In previous programs, I mostly interacted with people from rural areas. Whether it’s about the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, discussions on natural farming, or various dimensions of rural economy, I have discussed many topics related to making our villages developed. When I spoke to people during these dialogues, they shared intricate details, and it was so heartening to see that government schemes are reaching villages and the homes of the poor. In today’s program, a large number of people from urban areas are participating. Therefore, this time, my focus was on issues related to urban development, and the conversations I had also revolved around those topics. My family members, Our cities play a significant role in the resolution of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. Development, for a long time after independence, was limited to some major cities. However, today we are focusing on the development of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Hundreds of small cities are the ones that are empowering the grand structure of ‘Viksit Bharat’. Whether it’s the Amrut Mission or the Smart City Mission, efforts are being made to improve basic facilities in small cities. The aim is to continuously upgrade water supply, drainage and sewage systems, traffic systems, and the network of CCTV cameras in these cities. Cleanliness, public toilets and LED street lights—these aspects have seen extensive work in cities for the first time. The direct impact of this is on Ease of Living, Ease of Travel, and Ease of Doing Business. Whether it is poor, middle class, or those who have recently come out of poverty, a new middle-class family which is emerging, or the affluent families, everyone is benefiting from these increasing facilities. My family members, Our government is making efforts to reduce your worries, much like a family member. During the massive crisis of the coronavirus, you’ve witnessed how the government left no stone unturned to assist you. Our government transferred thousands of crores of rupees to the bank accounts of 20 crore women during the COVID crisis. It is our government that ensured free vaccines for every individual during the pandemic. It is our government that initiated the free ration scheme for every poor person during the coronavirus era. Our government sent billions of rupees to save small industries during the COVID crisis. Where hope ends for others, that’s where Modi’s guarantee begins. All our friends working on carts, stalls and footpaths had lost hope. They felt that nothing good will happen to them so just live like this. There was no one to take care of them. Our government had the fortune of connecting these friends to the banking system for the first time. Today, these friends are getting cheaper and easier loans from banks through the PM SVANidhi scheme. More than 50 lakh such friends in the country have received help from banks. Even during this ‘yatra’, about 1.25 lakh friends have applied for PM SVANidhi scheme. More than 75 per cent of the beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme are from the Dalit, backward, and tribal communities. Nearly 45 per cent of the beneficiaries are our sisters. That is, those who had no guarantee to open their bank accounts are now benefiting from Modi’s guarantee. Friends, Our government is committed to the social security of urban residents as well. Our government has worked diligently to ensure that everyone should have a security shield even after the age of 60. About six crore friends have become part of the Atal Pension Yojana in the country so far. This ensures regular pensions up to Rs 5,000 after the age of 60. The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana has also emerged as a significant hope for the poor living in cities. Under this scheme, the insurer has to pay only Rs 20 premium once a year and, in return, receives coverage of Rs 2 lakh. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, urban poor are provisioned to pay only Rs 436 per year. This also provides them with insurance coverage of up to Rs 2 lakh. Through these two schemes, our government has already provided a claim amount of Rs 17,000 crores to families who have faced difficulties. In the hour of crisis, when a dear one is lost, and such a sum of money comes in, you can imagine how helpful it is for these families. Today, even if a scheme worth 200-400 crores is launched, it is criticized by some political parties and they keep creating headlines. But Rs 17,000 crores has reached the homes of the poor. People are benefiting from the government’s schemes. I urge all my friends to strengthen their security shield by connecting with the government’s pension and insurance schemes. Modi’s guaranteed vehicle will assist you in this regard. Friends, The government is making concerted efforts to ensure that urban families save more money, whether through income tax relief or affordable healthcare. Millions of impoverished individuals in cities have already benefited from the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Thanks to the Ayushman card, the poor have saved one lakh crore rupees in medical expenses. Either this one lakh crore rupees would have been spent on doctors’ fees or medicines, but today this money has remained with the poor and the middle class families. The government’s initiative to open Jan Aushadhi Kendras has been a boon. Today, I encourage you all who are listening to me to buy medicines from these centres, where you can avail an 80 per cent discount. A medicine that costs Rs 100 can be obtained for just Rs 20. It will save you money. These centres have saved urban poor and middle-class citizens about 25,000 crore of rupees. If not for these centres, they would have spent an additional 25,000 crore of rupees. They have saved 25,000 crore of rupees. The government is now planning to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to 25,000. Over the years, we’ve witnessed a revolution in the country with the Ujala Yojana, distributing LED bulbs. This has significantly reduced electricity bills for urban families. My family members, Our government understands the challenges faced by the impoverished brothers and sisters migrating from villages in search of employment. Many faced the issue of their village’s ration card not being valid in other states’ cities. That’s why Modi introduced the One Nation, One Ration Card scheme. Now, any family, whether from a village or a city, can use a single ration card for their needs. My family members, Our government is committed to ensuring that no one is compelled to live in slums, and everyone has access to a solid roof over their heads, a permanent home. In the past 9 years, the central government has constructed more than 4 crores homes, with over 1 crore homes being allocated to urban poor families. Our government is also extending all possible help in fulfilling the dream of middle-class families to own their homes. Under the Credit-Linked Subsidy Scheme, assistance has been provided to lakhs of middle-class families. For those without their own homes, the government is also concerned about providing good rental housing at reasonable rates. The government has introduced schemes for urban migrants, labourers, and other working individuals to access rental housing, and special complexes are being built in various cities. My family members, To provide a better life for poor and middle-class families in cities, another significant initiative is an efficient public transportation system. The progress made in modern public transportation over the last 10 years is unparalleled. You can imagine that in less than 10 years, metro services have expanded to 15 new cities, and currently, metro services are either operational or under construction in 27 cities. Over the past years, the central government has also invested crores of rupees in operating electric buses in urban areas. The ‘PM E-Bus Service Campaign’ is facilitating the operation of electric buses in various cities. About two-three days ago, the Central Government introduced 500 new electric buses in Delhi alone, surpassing the count of electric buses operated by the central government to over 1300 in Delhi. My family members, Our cities are significant mediums for empowerment of our youth and women power. Modi’s guaranteed vehicle is empowering both the youth and women. You should take maximum advantage of this and take forward the resolve of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. I extend my best wishes to all of you once again. Let more people benefit from this ‘yatra’, more people should join it, create an environment throughout the villages and cities before the ‘yatra’ arrives, and those who have already received benefits from the government should be brought there so that others can have confidence that those who haven’t received benefits and yet are waiting will receive it in the future because this is Modi’s guarantee. Therefore, bring as many people as possible, provide them with information, and when someone who has already benefited speaks about the benefits, it increases the trust of others. That’s why I urge those who have received a gas connection, electricity connection, water connection, a house, an Ayushman card, or benefited from Mudra scheme or SVANidhi scheme, received money from the bank, or insurance money to let others know. There are many benefits. When they find out someone in their village has received it, they would also come forward and register. And those who have received it should come more often and tell others that this is Modi’s scheme; take advantage of it. I am committed to ensuring all the benefits of the government, from the poor in the village to those in the slums of the city without any hassles. That’s why this vehicle, powered by Modi’s guarantee, is for you. So, join in as much as possible, make this program successful. The country will become developed in 2047, when Bharat celebrates 100 years of independence. We have to create this spirit. We will do everything right and make the country better. This is the mindset we need to adopt. This ‘yatra’, this vehicle, this resolution will be very helpful in creating a positive environment. My best wishes to all of you. Thanks!