New Delhi, August 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted the unprecedented expansion of social security coverage in the country, saying the number of beneficiaries has risen from 25 crore before 2014 to 100 crore within a decade.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, the Prime Minister said the goal of a developed India could be achieved only when the benefits of development reach the last person.
Emphasising the scale of expansion in social security, Modi said that while only around 25 crore people had such coverage over several decades before 2014, the government had extended social security cover to 100 crore citizens within a decade.
He also highlighted the impact of welfare initiatives on families, citing Ayushman Bharat under which senior citizens aged 70 years and above are eligible for free treatment up to ₹5 lakh.
The Prime Minister also underlined the growth of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for the country’s youth over the past decade. He said the Startup India initiative has resulted in more than 2.5 lakh registered startups, enabling young entrepreneurs to create employment opportunities for themselves as well as others.
He attributed the emergence of new opportunities to initiatives and investments in areas including the ₹1 lakh crore Innovation Fund, Skill India, Digital India, space and aviation sector reforms and the National Drone Policy.
Modi said the rapid expansion of airports and air connectivity, along with the growth of aircraft manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul activities, was also generating employment opportunities for skilled workers.
Reiterating his vision of a Viksit Bharat, the Prime Minister said ensuring that the fruits of development reach the last person would remain central to the country’s development journey. – (PIB)
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