Judith Martin once quoted, “When virtues are pointed out first, flaws seem less insurmountable.”
Well, this quote is quite relatable to the former chief minister of Gujarat who faced a lot of criticism on becoming the Prime Minister of India. A considerable change is still far away but as the PM of India, Narendra Modi has made significant contribution. Recently, on the occasion of welcoming the new year, PM Modi gave a ray of hope for the Indian citizens in his speech. The speech showcased the planning, conviction, optimism and a dream of fulfilling the expectations of common people. In the past two years, his schemes and policies proved a systematic utilisation of time to bring about changes in the deep-rooted issues of society. However there is an analysis of the year 2016 of an active government.
Let’s analyse the how the year 2016 has been for the Prime Minister:
Start-up India
Among the plethora of government policies , on 16 January, PM Modi launched a start-up action plan to create a conducive ecosystem for the growth of start-ups. A funding support of Rs 10,000 crore for start-ups, patent protection, Credit Guarantee fund, tax exemption for start-ups were among the key decisions made by PM Modi at the launch.
GST Passed In Parliament
A bill which was stuck for years in the parliament finally received a green signal. Majority of Lok Sabha members voted to pass the bill in parliament.
Mann Ki Baat
Narendra Damodardas Modi is the only prime minister who has broadcast his speeches through radio every month. He marked the beginning of a trend of becoming a popular face for every household. Till now, he has given 27 Mann Ki Baat speeches extensively.
Schemes Launched In 2016
Although from the beginning of his tenure he has actively shown interest in contributing towards the improvement and transformation of Indian economy constantly as compared to his predecessors. Targeting the MSMEs, transportation and housing sector, he launched over 30 schemes in a year.
Foreign Trips
In 2016, PM Modi visited over 17 foreign countries to gauge the international superpower’s attention to make India a recognisable country on the global map. In 2015, PM Modi visited over 26 countries in 2015.
Failure Of Bihar Election
Although he tried to give powerful speeches, his spark was incapable of influencing the population of Bihar. He lost the Bihar election to the Grand Alliance.
Success Of Assam Election
Nevertheless, the winning of Assam election again proved that at the end of every black tunnel there is light that spreads its rays of hope and optimism. And, Congress lost the game of throne after reigning for many years in their own territory.
Surgical Strikes
In response to the Uri terrorist attack and many others, in the early hours of the morning of September 29, 2016, the Indian army carried out “surgical strikes” on the orders of the PM across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir into Indian- and Pakistani-controlled regions. 38 terrorists and 2 Pakistani soldiers were killed in these strikes conducted by the Indian Army with no Indian casualties found.
As per the media reports the decision was highly praised because it was the need of the hour. At the same time, it was the most controversial decision of the year because many politicians asked about the evidence and the reliability of the decision.
Demonetisation
On November 8, the PM announced the decision to ban notes that were of ₹500 and ₹1000 denomination to curb the corruption practices in the country. The government projected the announcement as a long-term tool to improve the condition of the underprivileged in the society. According to the media reports, the decision was highly supported. However, the result is still awaited to present the viability of the sudden decision which questioned the validity of this decision in the Indian economy.
Indeed, a wave of change was pertinent in a nation of cultural diversity and traditionalism. But the million dollar question is – to what extent will it benefit our country?