7 years of NDA: Report to list govt’s achievements
NEW DELHI: The official report to mark seven years of the NDA government, which will be published by the Press Information Bureau, describes efforts by the government and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi on three aspects, reforms, welfare, and the management of the coronavirus disease pandemic.
HT has reviewed a draft of the report, compiled on the basis of inputs from various departments.
Titled “Firm resolve for transformational changes: 7 years of good governance”, the 188-page document has 11 sections including those titled: Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas; women power; Swachh Bharat; minimum government maximum governance; emerging world power; new India; and united India against Covid.
The ruling dispensation has already taken a call not to organise any public function on the anniversary on account of the pandemic.
Instead, the Bharatiya Janata Party has set a target of covering 100,000 villages and organising 50,000 blood donation camps across the country for its cadre on May 30. Ministers have been asked to visit at least two villages or interact with people through video.
The draft report supports the three farm laws passed on September, which the government believes will make for more efficient and open agricultural markets, create new opportunities for farmers, and reduce the influence of intermediaries. Farm groups have been protesting against the laws since November.
The annual report dedicated a page each to the farm laws and quotes Prime Minister Modi as saying: “Now potato growers, mango farmers or tomato cultivators can negotiate with chips, juice or sauce companies at the time of sowing and it will help them avoid any loss in future.”
In the 17-page section on Covid-19, the draft says: “The primary test for any good government is how its arrangements to handle a disaster. In such situations, a strong and sensitive leadership that respects scientists and experts is required.”
India was feted for its handling of the disease during the first wave, but has come in for criticism from several quarters for its handling of the second wave of infections and for a faltering vaccine drive.
The government has repeatedly insisted it is increasing the supply of vaccines and the report says that the capacity of Bharat Biotech’s indigenous vaccine, developed in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR), will grow to 100 million doses per month by December.
The draft says Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “playing a leading role” and “taking many decisive steps” to tackle the Covid19 pandemic.
It lists the PM’S interventions including approval for purchase of oxygen concentrators and other materials from the Pm-cares fund, his virtual meetings with chief ministers to push for more testing and vaccination sites, and his engagements with various stakeholders including doctors and scientists.
According to government officials who asked not to be named, the report will be published online.
Among some of the schemes that have come in for special mention are the Udan or regional connectivity scheme. While these were suspended during last year’s lockdown, they have been restored in phases and by February, 315 routes were operational.
The report also mentions the increase in the FDI cap in defence through the automatic route to 74% from 49%, a move aimed at boosting local manufacture of defence equipment.
It also focuses on the Jal Jeevan mission which has, since June 2020, provided almost 4.5 million new water connections.
Criticised for its handling of the migrant worker crisis in 2020 -- after the lockdown, many of them, rendered jobless and homeless chose to walk back home in the absence of any other forms of transport -- the government last year announced the creation of rental accommodation for them near their place of work.
These will be available by 2022, the draft said.
THE REPORT DEDICATED A PAGE EACH TO THE NEW AGRICULTURE LAWS, QUOTING PRAISE BY THE PM