How are you all? Is everything fine?

Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Bhai Patel ji, my cabinet colleague Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, former Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani ji, CR Patil ji.

Friends,

Right now Vijay was whispering in my ears and I too was noticing the huge gathering here in Rajkot. Normally no one thinks of organizing any event in Rajkot at this time of the day, that too on a weekday and in the afternoon. However, I can see the huge public gathering and the people have turned up in such large numbers that Rajkot has broken all its records today. Otherwise, for years we have been seeing that it is best to organize any event after 8 in the evening as Rajkot needs some time for a nap in the afternoon.

Today is a significant day for Rajkot as well as for entire Saurashtra and Gujarat. But at the outset I would like to express my condolences to the families who have suffered tremendously due to natural calamities. A few days ago, cyclone had hit the region and the floods also caused a lot of destruction. At this time of crisis, once again the public and the government have fought it together. Bhupendra Bhai's government is making every possible effort to ensure that the life of all the affected families becomes normal as soon as possible. The Central Government is also providing every possible assistance and cooperation required by the State Government.

Brothers & Sisters,

Over the years, we have seen Rajkot progressing in every way. Now Rajkot is also being recognized as the growth engine of Saurashtra. There is a plethora of things here such as industries, businesses, culture, food and so on. But there was something missing here and you all kept demanding that from me time and again. And that demand has also been fulfilled today.

Just a short while ago, when I was at the newly built airport, I also felt the joy of your dreams being fulfilled. And I always say, Rajkot is the place that has taught me a lot. It had made me MLA for the first time. Rajkot is the place that had shown the green signal to my political journey. And so, I am forever indebted to Rajkot. And I am also trying to repay that debt bit by bit.

Today Rajkot has got a new and a bigger international airport. Now we can have direct flights from Rajkot to many cities of the country as well as the world. Not only will it be easier to travel from this airport, the industries of this entire region will also benefit a lot. And during the initial days when I was the Chief Minister, I did not have much experience. Once I had said, "this is turning into a mini-Japan". At that time, a lot of people had mocked me. But today you have proved those words of mine to be true.

Friends,

Now it will be easy for the farmers here to transport their fruits and vegetables to the mandis of different parts of the country and abroad. That is, Rajkot has received not just an airport, but a powerhouse that provides a new energy and new wings to the development of this entire region.

Today, many projects have also been inaugurated here under the SAUNI Yojana. With the completion of these projects, irrigation and drinking water will be available to the farmers of dozens of villages in Saurashtra. Besides this, we have got the opportunity to inaugurate various projects related to the development of Rajkot here today. I congratulate all of you for all these projects.

Friends,

In the last 9 years, the Central Government has worked hard to make life easier for every section of the society and every region. We have come with the guarantee of good governance. Today we are fulfilling that guarantee. Be it the poor, Dalits, backward classes, or the tribal society, we have worked relentlessly to improve everyone's life.

Due to the efforts of our government, today poverty in the country is declining rapidly. The report that has been published recently says that during the five years of our government's regime, 13.5 crore people have come out of poverty. That is, coming out of poverty today, a neo-middle class, a new middle class is being created in India. That's why our government's priorities include the middle class, the neo-middle class, basically the entire middle class.

Friends,

Try to recall the very common complaint of the middle class before 2014! People used to complain that due to poor connectivity a lot of their time was wasted in commuting. Some people after visiting foreign countries and watching foreign films on TV used to wonder when such conditions would prevail in our country too? When would such roads be built? When would such airports be built? There were difficulties in commuting to schools and offices and difficulties in doing business. This was the condition of connectivity in the country. We have made every possible effort to solve this problem in the last 9 years. In 2014, only 4 cities had metro network. Today the metro network has reached more than 20 cities of the country. Today, modern trains like Vande Bharat are running on 25 different routes in the country. In 2014, there used to be around 70 airports in the country. Now that number has also increased and has more than doubled.

The expansion of air service has given India's aviation sector a new height in the world. Today Indian companies are buying new aircrafts worth lakhs of crores of rupees. Even a new cycle, a new car or a new scooter makes news. But today, an order for one thousand new aircrafts has been placed. And there is a possibility of ordering 2000 aircrafts in the coming days. And do you remember? I do remember that I had told you at the time of Gujarat elections – “that day is not far when Gujarat will also make aeroplanes”. Today Gujarat is moving rapidly in this direction.

Brothers & Sisters,

Ease of Living, Quality of Life is one of the topmost priorities of our government. We cannot forget the challenges that the people of the country had to face earlier. You had to queue up to pay electricity and water bills. You had to queue up to get treated in hospitals. There were even more challenges if you wanted to get insurance and pension. You had to go through a lot of problems even to file tax returns. We provided solutions to all these problems with Digital India. Earlier it used to take a lot of time and energy to go to the banks and get the work done. Today your bank is on your mobile phone. Many will not even remember the last time they visited their banks because there is no need to go.

Friends,

Also try to remember the days when even filing tax returns used to be a huge challenge. You had to find someone and run from pillar to post. That was the condition. Today you can easily file returns online in no time. If there is a refund, then the money goes directly into your account within a few days. But earlier it used to take several months.

Friends,

The previous governments were not concerned about the middle-class people possessing their own house. We ensured homes for the poor and worked towards fulfilling the dream of a home for the middle class too. Under the PM Awas Yojana, we gave special subsidy to the middle-class families to help build houses. Under this, assistance was given to families with an annual income of up to Rs 18 lakh. So far, more than 6 lakh middle class families of the country have taken advantage of this scheme. Here in Gujarat, more than 60 thousand families have taken advantage of this Central Government scheme.

Friends,

When the previous government was at the centre, we often used to hear about one fraud or the other regarding the houses. The possession of the house was not given for several years. There were no laws in this regard. There was no one to question. But our government enacted the RERA law, safeguarding the interests of the people. Because of the RERA law, today lakhs of people are being saved from being robbed of their money.

Brothers & Sisters,

Today, when so much work is being done in the country and the country is moving forward, it is very natural for some people to have problems with that. Those who always used to make the people of the country yearn for their needs; those who were not concerned at all with the needs and aspirations of the people of the country, are today unhappy looking at the dreams of the people of the country being fulfilled.

And that's why you can see, nowadays these corrupt and dynastic people have changed the name of their party as well. The faces are the same, the sins are the same, the methods are the same, but the name of the party has changed. Their work culture is also the same old one. Their intentions are also the same. When the middle class gets something at a cheaper price, they say that the farmer is not getting the right price. When the farmer gets a higher price, they blame it on inflation. They are resorting to double standard politics.

So, what is their track record in terms of inflation? When they were in power at the Centre, the inflation rate had reached 10 per cent. If our government had not controlled inflation, then today the prices in India would have skyrocketed. If the previous government was in power in the country, today milk would have been sold at Rs 300 a litre, pulses at Rs 500 a kg. From children's school fees to commuting fare, everything would have skyrocketed.

But friends, it is our government which has kept inflation under control despite the Corona pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Today, inflation is increasing at the rate of 25-30 percent in our neighbouring countries. But it is not so in India. We have been trying to control inflation with complete sensitivity and will continue to do so in the future.

Brothers & Sisters,

Besides saving on the expenses of the poor and the middle class, our government has also tried to ensure that there is maximum savings in the pockets of the middle class. You might remember that till 9 years ago, tax was levied on annual income of Rs 2 lakh. How much is the tax levied even if you earn up to Rs 7 lakh today? It's Zero! There is no tax on the annual income of up to Rs 7 lakhs. This is helping the middle-class families living in the cities save thousands of rupees every year. We have also taken the step of ensuring higher interest rates on small savings. This year, 8.25 percent interest has been fixed for EPFO.

Friends,

Your mobile phone is also an example of how your money is being saved by the policies and decisions of our government. Perhaps you haven't noticed that. Today, whether rich or poor, most of the people have a phone. Today, every Indian, on an average, uses around 20 GB of data every month. Do you know, how much did 1 GB of data cost in 2014? In 2014, you had to pay Rs 300 for 1 GB of data. If the same old government was in power today, you would have to pay at least Rs 6,000 every month just for the mobile bills. Whereas today you are paying only Rs 300-400 for 20 GB data. That is, today people are saving about Rs 5000 every month on their mobile bills.

Friends,

Our government is also helping the families with senior citizens, old parents and grandparents that need to purchase medicines for various types of illnesses on a regular basis, with a lot of savings through various schemes. Earlier these people had to buy medicines at a higher price in the market. To solve their problem, we started providing cheap medicines at Jan Aushadhi Kendra. Because of these stores, the poor and the middle-class have saved about Rs 20,000 crore. A sensitive government for the poor, a sensitive government for the middle class, takes steps one after the other so that there is no pressure on the pockets of the ordinary citizens.

Brothers & Sisters,

Here, our government is working with full sensitivity for the development of Gujarat and Saurashtra. Gujarat and Saurashtra know very well what water scarcity means. Saurashtra has seen what the situation was before the SAUNI Yojana and the transformation that has taken place after the SAUNI Yojana. Dozens of dams, thousands of check dams have become sources of water in Saurashtra today. Under the Har Ghar Jal Yojana, crores of families in Gujarat are now getting tap water.

Friends,

This is the model of good governance, which we have successfully used in the country in the last 9 years by taking one step after another, serving the common man and fulfilling his needs. Such is this good governance, in which the needs and aspirations of every section of the society and every family are taken into consideration. This is our way of building a developed India. Walking on this path, we have to fulfil the resolutions of 'Amritkaal'.

The people of my Saurashtra, the people of Gujarat's Rajkot got the gifts of several projects including the new airport, that too an international airport. And you all have come here in such large numbers! I congratulate you for all these projects. My best wishes to you all. And I am completely confident that Bhupendra Bhai's government will leave no stone unturned to fulfil your hopes and aspirations.

Once again, I express my heartfelt gratitude to you for this welcome, and for this love.

Thank you very much!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi & some parts of Gujarati language.

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DS/IG/AK