Opinion | A Leader Like No Other...

For the past 23 years, no other global leader has used adversity as an opportunity for growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's extraordinary leadership and seva bhav as Head of Government has resulted in revolutionary changes at both the state and national levels. Modi's climb from Gujarat chief minister to Prime Minister of India (he is now in his third term) has been marked by daring initiatives, technological advancements, and a reinvention of India's role in the world arena. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will complete 23 years in public office, a tenure marked by a series of ambitious schemes and initiatives widely regarded as transformative, first in Gujarat and then in India, particularly in the areas of economic reform, sanitation, infrastructure, and environmental conservation.

When he became Gujarat's Chief Minister in 2001, he was forced to deal with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in the Kutch district. Many people died, and those that survived were left destitute. Modi travelled to Kutch and oversaw the rehabilitation of the economy and people's lives. Under Chief Minister Modi's creative leadership, the Raan of Kutch has grown into a major tourism attraction.

A natural proclivity for the rural, Modi dealt with the incessant electricity outages by separating Domestic consumption from the agriculture sector's consumption and sorted the problem of power cuts. With a desire to keep the tribal children in school, Modi introduced solar power in all the schools. Expanding from this and understanding the need for clean energy in his state, Modi introduced the 'rent a roof' scheme, a way for people to access solar panels without the initial costs of owning them to encourage the use of solar power. The avant-garde rural electrification scheme, Jyotigram Yojana, ensured 24x7 power supply to villages in Gujarat. The success of this scheme led to the launch of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana in 2015 when Narendra Modi became Prime Minster. It aims to provide continuous power supply to rural India.

In fact, various projects that were during Narendra Modi's period as Gujarat Chief Minister, launched have since been successfully copied throughout India, winning international renown. These initiatives, which range from sanitation and infrastructure to social welfare and community involvement, demonstrate his imaginative approach. The fact that programs developed in Gujarat were eventually expanded nationwide demonstrates their relevance, scalability, and adaptability-demonstrating how policies benefiting Gujarat residents were effectively applied across the country.

For example, Nirmal Gujarat laid the foundation for the nationwide Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014, a drive to improve sanitation that also targeted the elimination of open defecation. The sanitation Landscape in rural and urban areas changed dramatically with over 120 million toilets constructed across India. Another example that has given life-enhancing benefits was the transformation of the statewide Jal Mandir initiative in Gujarat to the national level the Jal Jeevan Mission, which has connected more than 151 million. households to tap water since 2014. Similarly, The Swajal Dhara scheme, introduced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat focused on ensuring community participation in managing rural water supply systems, emphasizing the importance of clean and accessible drinking water for all. This initiative laid the groundwork for the national-level Har Ghar Jal mission, launched under the Jal Jeevan Mission, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide piped water supply to every household in rural India by 2024.

The Mukhya Mantri GRUH Yojana (MMGY) to form, the nationwide, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (2015) and Gramin (2016) and shows the commitment of Prime Minister Modi's Government to build and provide pucca houses to change the living conditions of poor people in both rural and urban areas. To date, 4 crore houses have been sanctioned under the scheme.

Gujarat's Kanya Kelavani Yojana transformed into the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme which focuses on preventing female foeticide, and ensuring the survival, protection, and education of the girl child.

The success of Mukhya Mantri Amrutam Yojana (2012) led the Prime Minister to launch the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) in 2018-the largest health insurance scheme in the world providing coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for primary, secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. 

The Digital India Mission, for example, has increased internet access and digital literacy throughout the country. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has transformed digital transactions, establishing India as a pioneer in real-time payments and providing a payment option for various Global South countries without the need for international payment aggregators. Digital India has also played an important role in the government's efforts to increase financial inclusion, which was aided by PM Jan Dhan Yojana, which opened 533 million new bank accounts. The poverty rate in India has fallen from 55.1% in 2005 to 16.4% in 2021, bringing 415 million people out of poverty. 

The digital drive also includes StartUp India, which established a vibrant startup environment, with over 140,000 entities recognized as startups and providing more than 1.5 million direct jobs.

Throughout his 23 years in office, Prime Minister Modi has demonstrated unshakable dedication to the "India First" strategy, a core tenet that informs his actions across all sectors. This ideology has moulded his approach to India's growth and development, both domestically and internationally. It has also influenced his foreign policy initiatives, emphasizing his strategic partnerships and role in building the global order. 

Viksit Bharat" lays out a vision of the country's future, including long-term development goals and enhanced worldwide status. This vision is based on India's 100th anniversary of independence in 2047 when he expects the country will acquire the position of a developed nation.

(The author is a national spokesperson of the BJP)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author