Intro
Senior BJP leader Radha Mohan Das Agrawal said government policies helped lift 25 crore people above poverty.
MANGALURU
Senior BJP leader Dr. Radha Mohan Das Agrawal on Saturday asserted that the Narendra Modi-led government’s policies had helped lift nearly 25 crore people out of poverty over the past decade, while steering India toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy.
Addressing a press conference in Mangaluru, Agrawal said India had maintained a strong economic growth trajectory despite global challenges, including geopolitical tensions and market volatility. He noted that the country achieved a growth rate of 7.7 per cent and recorded significant progress in social and economic development.
According to Agrawal, India’s economy expanded from about USD 1.9 trillion in 2013-14 to over USD 4 trillion, reflecting sustained growth and resilience. He added that the nation’s economic performance compared favourably with other major economies across the world.
The Rajya Sabha member stated that unemployment remained around 5.1 per cent and inflation near 4.5 per cent, while per capita income increased from approximately Rs 49,000 to Rs 2.35 lakh during the period.
Highlighting welfare initiatives, Agrawal said the government had sanctioned nearly four crore houses, constructed around 12 crore toilets and provided free food grains to about 80 crore beneficiaries. He also cited the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme and the PM-Kisan programme, under which eligible farmers receive annual financial assistance of Rs 6,000.
Agrawal further said that educational and healthcare infrastructure had expanded significantly, with an increase in the number of AIIMS institutions, medical colleges and medical education seats across the country.
Referring to Karnataka, he claimed that central allocations and investments had increased substantially since 2014, boosting road, railway and urban infrastructure projects. He also highlighted the implementation of Jan Dhan, Mudra, Ujjwala, Jal Jeevan Mission and Ayushman Bharat schemes in the state.
He said welfare programmes, infrastructure development and economic reforms together had strengthened India’s global economic standing and laid a foundation for sustained growth.