Prosperous Karnataka Key To Modi Government’s Nation-Building Plans

Let’s mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Birth Anniversary with an expression of gratitude for prioritising Karnataka in centre’s major schemes and contributing most ever to its development.

No Prime Minister has contributed to the growth of Karnataka as much as Sri Narendra Modi has. Railways, suburban railway, metro, affordable housing, farmers’ pension, pension for senior citizens, bank accounts, startups, financial institutions, social empowerment, science, health and education - name the sector and the Prime Minister has left his mark in it with a substantial contribution for its development even here in Karnataka.

As we mark his birthday today, let’s take a look at what all he has done for our state and use this opportunity to express our gratitude.

Road Infrastructure

The length of National Highways before May 2014 was 6,760 km in the country and within four years, the National Highways grew up to 13,565 km by 2018. In the last eight years of the Modi government, the length of National Highways has increased by more than 100 per cent. 

In Karnataka, the length has almost doubled where the union government decided to invest Rs 1,16,144 crore in Karnataka.

Further, the Prime Minister has laid the foundation to numerous infrastructure projects worth over Rs 27,000 crore. The STRR (Satellite Town Ring Road) Bengaluru Ring Road project, which will play a significant role in decongesting the city, is being developed at cost of Rs 15,000 crore under Bharatmala Pariyojana.

Rail Infrastructure

Indian Railways has been in existence for more than 150 years and continued to live on the vision of the British until 2014. Over 6,015 km of Railway lines have been electrified up to 2021 in the country, while only about 610 km of electrification had been completed up to 2013-14, the last year of the UPA rule.

The railway budget grant to Karnataka has increased by 92 per cent, capital expenditure by 129 per cent, new line works almost tripled and rose by 190 per cent coupled with doubling of lines by 60 per cent compared to 2014.

Bengaluru’s Yeshwanthpur and Cantonment railways station is being redeveloped for improved passenger experience at a total cost of more than Rs 800 crore.

Suburban Rail

The Suburban rail project solves a major problem of commuting and improves connectivity of public transport in Bengaluru. The idea and its implementation never saw the light under the Congress until the Modi government approved the project.

In June 2022, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for four corridors connecting 148 kms with a sanctioned cost of over Rs 15,767 crore. The 40-year pending project was given a timeline to be completed within 40 months.

Initial work orders have already been issued for corridor-2 connecting Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara.

Metro Rail

The speed at which various Metro lines have become operational is unprecedented. From 7 km before 2014, Bengaluru today enjoys a wide 56 km network of metro connectivity. The Modi government has ensured there are no delays owing to budget shortages.

This is evident as funds worth Rs 41,193 crore have been sanctioned for Phase II, 2A and 2B. Works under Phase-2A and 2B are progressing and are expected to be completed soon.

Operationalisation of these, along with the airport line, will expand the length to 172 km bringing universal access, reduced carbon emission and inclusive development.

Thanks to the metro policy of 2017, which is built on the vision of PM Modi’s “Mobility for All” by “moving people rather than vehicles”, Bengaluru metro will become the citizen’s most preferred choice of transport and will serve a combined daily ridership of more than 7 lakh by 2025.

Giving wings to Kannadigas - Air Connectivity

Before 2014, Karnataka, one of India’s industrial powerhouse and state with rich tourism potential had only seven airports, incapable of serving the rising demand of the state and many of them non-functional. But things changed, and this number has doubled under the Modi government which has added seven more airports in eight years.

The “Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik” (UDAN) regional connectivity scheme has been a game changer in pivoting Karnataka’s aviation sector with 90 RCS routes and six RCS airports.

In 2019, Hubballi and Belagavi airports emerged among the state's busiest airports. This shows operational efficiency and quality instilled in the infrastructure projects combined with speed and time-bound completion.

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, one of the busiest in the country is seeing expansion of the airport with a new terminal (T2) under Public Private Partnership (PPP), where a second runway is being constructed in two phases.

Completion of the project, which is being undertaken at a cost of Rs 13,000 crores with a built-up area of 2,55,000 sq m will enable the KIA to handle 70 million passengers per year. PM Modi is expected to inaugurate the Phase-1 of the new terminal in October 2022.

Leading the change to greener tech - Electric Buses and EV Revolution

PM Modi’s efforts to enhance the EV sector through PLI schemes and reduction in GST from 12 per cent to 5 per cent on EVs has encouraged the industry and people to switch from oil based engines to EV operated vehicles.

The EV revolution has entered into public transport as well. Under, FAME-II scheme, over  921 Tata and 300 Switch Mobility e-buses have been sanctioned for Bengaluru.  In less than 12 months of the scheme launch, over 170 buses are already operational in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the total sanctioned strength is expected to touch 1,500 e-buses, which will augment BMTC’s stagnant fleet size, provide safe travel, reduce carbon footprint and dependence on diesel. Adoption of public transport will be more when commuters are assured of a seat and predictable travel time.

Financially empowering the state through GST

Karnataka’s GST revenue has increased by almost 30 per cent between 2021 and 2022 indicating the economic growth story of the state.

Distribution of net proceeds of Union Taxes and duties in 2022-2023 for Karnataka stands at Rs 29,783 crore, which was less than half before 2014.

This depicts the impact of GST and the centre’s commitment to strengthen states to improve their capital and development expenditure. The devolution and distribution of Union taxes and duties has significantly increased post 2014 due to increased GST revenue.

Foreign Direct Investment

Karnataka has emerged as the top recipient state in India with respect to FDI equity inflow with 38 per cent share of the total share during the FY 2021-22 with majority inflow in Computer Software and Hardware (35 per cent), Automobile Industry (20 per cent) and Education (12 per cent) among other sectors.

The FDI received in the last eight years under the leadership of Narendra Modi is $500.5 billion which is 65 per cent higher than the inflow received during the 10 year rule of the Congress-led UPA government.

Developing Karnataka as the Semiconductor Hub of India

With the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Prime Minister approved a comprehensive program for development of the semiconductor ecosystem in India.

Karnataka will greatly benefit from this program where the union government is providing a support of Rs 76,000 crore for the sector.

The International semiconductor consortium ISMC has committed to invest Rs 22,900 crore ($3 billion) in Karnataka to set up a semiconductor fab plant over the next seven years. This will augment India’s tech leadership and economic self-reliance.

National Investigation Agency

In the last few years, Bengaluru has been in the news for several arrests of sleeper cells and terrorists, proven through many NIA arrests and busted sleeper cells in the city. In view of this, the centre has agreed to set up a National Investigation Agency (NIA) office at Bengaluru to probe the anti-national activity of some organisations.

Our Home Minister, Sri Amit Shah, has assured the setting up of a full-fledged NIA office in Bengaluru owing to the violent incidents at KG Halli and DJ Halli. This will go a long way in investigating and curbing anti-terrorism activities in Karnataka.

Education

Karnataka has taken a giant stride in transforming its education landscape by implementing the National Education Policy 2020. From translating the NEP 2020 into Kannada to forming NEP Task Force and preparing the roadmap for its implementation, Karnataka has taken the lead to establish itself as the 1st state in India to implement the visionary NEP 2020.

Early-childhood care and education, a key component of the policy, will be implemented in 20,000 anganwadi/schools by November 2022  across the state.

Currently, the central government is designing the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) to create a dedicated learning blueprint for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), school education, teacher education and higher education.

Antyoday - Upliftment of Bengaluru’s poor

The PM’s focus on transforming Swaraj (self-governance) to Suraj (good governance) has benefitted more than 1.6 crore people in Bengaluru through its numerous empowering flagship schemes.

The dividing walls of ‘casteism’ and ‘communalism’ were broken with Modi’s dedicated government that has focused on the welfare of the poor and inclusive growth.

PM Jan Dhan Yojana, banking the unbanked poor population by ensuring financial inclusion, has been a priority of the government. Direct Benefit Transfers via PM Jan Dhan accounts have ensured every rupee reaches its intended beneficiary preventing systemic leakage.

As of August 2022, in Bengaluru alone, 13.49 lakh have benefitted with deposits of  Rs 713 crore.

Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF)

The PMNRF has helped hundreds of families in Bengaluru South. Timely disbursal of help from the PMNRF has given these families a new lease of life. Twelve private hospitals are empanelled under the scheme in Bengaluru. Most beneficiaries are children.

In Bengaluru South, 52 citizens have received benefits under the scheme, out of which 18 are children. Rs 79,30,000 worth of treatment has been subsidised through PMNRF as of June 2022.

PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana provides life and disability cover of Rs 2 lakh on death to beneficiaries through their banks with annual premium of only Rs. 436. In Bengaluru, 12,37,084 beneficiaries are covered with a total amount of Rs 53 crore as of August 2022.

PM Suraksha Bima Yojana provides accidental insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh at Rs 20 per annum. In Bengaluru, 26,94,063 people have been covered with a total amount of Rs 5 crore as of August 2022.

Atal Pension Yojana, a social security scheme with minimum guaranteed pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month launched primarily for those employed in the unorganised sector. In Bengaluru, 6,67,700 people have become part of the scheme as of August 2022.

Stand Up India scheme facilitates finance through bank loans to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and women to start their entrepreneurial journey and be self-employed. In Bengaluru, nearly 4,400 people have been benefited with loans worth close to Rs 1,569 crore.

MUDRA Scheme extends affordable credit to micro and small enterprises. In Bengaluru, credit worth Rs 4,797 crore has been extended to 9,48,628 beneficiaries as of August 2022.

PM Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) was launched to generate self-employment opportunities for unemployed youth through credit-linked subsidies. In Bengaluru, 298 aspiring entrepreneurs have taken benefit of the scheme with over Rs 15 crore disbursed.

E-Shram is a comprehensive national database created to provide various schemes under a single portal. As of August 2022, 70,28,485 people have registered and availing benefits  in Karnataka out of which 3,01,868 registrations are from Bengaluru.

PM Svanidhi, a scheme for all street vendors was launched to help them recover from the pandemic. In Bengaluru, 37,471 street vendors benefited from the sanctioned loan amount worth Rs 35 crore.

Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan Yojana, the pension scheme provides a minimum assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to unorganised workers after attaining the age of 60 years. In Bengaluru, there are 6,522  beneficiaries under the scheme.

PMAY - Housing for all, PM Modi had remarked that the PM Awas Yojana is a first step towards upliftment of poor from shackles of poverty. Under PM Awas Yojana, 7,00,578 houses have been sanctioned with assistance of over Rs 11,494 Crore in Karnataka.

In Bengaluru, the sanctioned amount stands at nearly Rs 3,239 crore for 1,90,646 houses as of last month.

Jal Jeevan Mission - ‘Har Ghar Jal’  is an ambitious project  to rectify the long neglected basic tap water connections to every household. 31,34,176 households have been provided with tap water connections for the first time in Karnataka since the launch of the scheme in 2019.

Farmers Welfare

It was during the first NDA government, in 2000, that the country got its first National Agriculture Policy - 53 years after Independence. Taking it forward, PM Modi has changed the face of Indian agriculture and strengthened farmer welfare ever since he took office in 2014.

The annual agriculture budget has witnessed a 465 per cent increase in 2022-2023 compared to  2013-2014.

In Karnataka, the government is promoting entrepreneurship by dedicating Rs 30 lakh to every FPO in over 750 villages. Central assistance of more than Rs 2,500 crore has been provided to farmers of Karnataka under “Per Drop More Crop” scheme which focuses on farmer’s welfare as well as water use efficiency for long term sustenance.

58,42,644 beneficiaries in Karnataka are enrolled under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi central sector scheme which provides an income support of 6,000/- per year to all land holding farmer families.

Healthier India

Under the leadership of PM Modi, Ayushman Bharat -PM Jan Arogya Yojana is the world’s largest government funded health assurance scheme which takes healthcare protection to a new aspirational level. 

In Bengaluru, treatment worth Rs 759 crore have been provided for free for 1,96,156 citizens under the Ayushman Bharat - Arogya Karnataka scheme.

In the city, 24,18,744 people hold ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) cards. During the world's largest vaccine drive, 28 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were provided for free in Bengaluru.

Quality affordable medicines are made accessible to all sections of the population through Jan Aushadhi Kendras under PM Bharatiya Janaaushadhi Pariyojana.

An important milestone of 75 Jan Aushadi Kendras was achieved in Bengaluru South constituency alone on the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. This has resulted in 1,06,400 beneficiaries from Bengaluru South making savings in their health expenditure.

The aforementioned schemes are not exhaustive. There are multiple other schemes where numerous citizens have benefited under Prime Minister Modi’s government in Karnataka. 

It is no wonder that both in 2014 and 2019, people of Karnataka have blessed PM Modi with a maximum number of Lok Sabha seats from the state.

Today, while the whole nation is celebrating the birthday of our Prime Minister, Karnataka is in a festive mode and is praying for the good health, well-being and longevity of our most loved leader.

On behalf of the six crore people of Karnataka, I wish our Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi ji a very Happy Birthday.

Also Read: Eight Years Of Modi Government: A Story Of Transformation