Itanagar: Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said India has undergone a remarkable transformation under the Modi government, with the nation making major strides in infrastructure, connectivity, welfare, manufacturing and national security in the last 12 years.
Addressing reporters at a party office here, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs said infrastructure development has reached unprecedented levels under the Modi government.
He pointed out that under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), more than 8 lakh kilometres of rural roads have been constructed across the country to date, and of those, nearly 4 lakh kilometres have been built in the last 12 years.
Highlighting Arunachal Pradesh’s progress, he said strategic projects such as the Sela and Nechiphu tunnels have boosted connectivity and strengthened border security.
Rijiju said road construction across the country has accelerated to an average of 34 km per day.
The Union minister said the government has also significantly expanded the railway sector, with nearly 99.6 per cent of India’s broad-gauge railway network now electrified.
He added that the introduction of 164 Vande Bharat trains has modernised rail travel and improved passenger services.
In the aviation sector, Rijiju said that India has become the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. He said the number of operational airports has increased from 74 before 2014 to around 164 at present, with more than 90 new airports developed under the Modi government.
Referring to welfare initiatives, Rijiju said over 12 crore toilets have been built under the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the Jal Jeevan Mission has provided tap water connections to more than 16 crore rural households across the country.
He also highlighted the success of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, stating that it has brought crores of unbanked people into the formal banking system and enabled transparent delivery of benefits through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode.
Rijiju said India is emerging as a global manufacturing hub, pointing to the establishment of semiconductor facilities, including projects in Assam, and the country’s rise as the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
On national security, he said the worth of indigenous defence production has crossed Rs 38,400 crore while defence exports have reached record levels, reducing dependence on imports and strengthening India’s self-reliance in the sector.
The minister asserted that the achievements of the past 12 years have laid a strong foundation for building a developed and self-reliant India.
