‘We give ration to population greater than US-EU together’

New Delhi : Union Minister for Railways, Communications and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Thursday, said that the Modi government’s thrust on inclusive growth is yielding results and it will gain greater visibility in the next few years. He added that this has been possible because of a robust growth framework in place.

He underlined the Modi government’s resolve to bring “generational change” in people’s lives and also explained how the country is breaking barriers in public welfare schemes. Citing example of the Centre’s free ration scheme to the poor and marginalised, he said that the Modi government is feeding a population larger than the combined populace of United States and the European Union (EU).

“US population is about 35 crore while EU accounts for about 40 crore. India is providing free ration to a population of 80 crore, which is bigger than both, for past four years,” informed the Union Minister, highlighting the scale and size of India’s public welfare scheme.

Addressing the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Mumbai, the Union Minister said that the government’s thrust on infrastructure investment, manufacturing, simplification of laws and inclusive growth have served as four pillars of growth.

Vaishnaw said that the Central government has earmarked adequate funds for building physical infrastructure and shoring up the digital economy.

“In previous regimes, Railways allotted Rs 1,140 crore for Maharashtra-specific growth. Under NDA, it has increased 10-fold to Rs 15,000 crore. In past ten years, 1,800 crore rail network has been built in Maharashtra alone” he said. He further said that a 15 km railway network per day and 23 km road network per day are being built under the NDA government.

“In terms of digital infrastructure, Maharashtra had 35,000 telecom towers 10 years ago, which has now grown to 2,75,000,” he pointed out.

He further said that the government is committed to building social infrastructure as well and has built new universities and medical colleges, and developed new centres of higher education over the past decade.

“Earlier there were seven AIIMs, today they are 18. Out of the previous seven, six AIIMS were built during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government. In the past ten years, 390 universities and 315 medical colleges have been built,” the Union Minister told the Viksit Bharat Ambassadors.

Emphasising that inclusive growth is essential for the harmonious growth of a nation, he said that ‘Antodaya’ is one of greatest ideas towards bringing change in the lives of the poor and marginalised, and this has been one of the party’s foremost pledge since the days of Jana Sangh.