My colleagues in the Union Cabinet, Nitin Gadkari Ji, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Ji, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinay Saxena Ji, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta Ji, my colleagues in the Union Council of Ministers, Ajay Tamta Ji, Harsh Malhotra Ji, MPs from Delhi and Haryana, ministers present, other public representatives and my dear brothers and sisters,

The name of the expressway is Dwarka, the name of the place where this program is taking place is Rohini, the joy of Janmashtami and coincidentally I am also from the land of Dwarkadhish, the whole atmosphere has become very Krishnamayi (Krishna-filled).

Friends, 

This month of August is coloured in the colours of freedom and revolution. Amidst this festival of Independence, today the country's capital Delhi is becoming a witness to the development revolution taking place in the country. A short while ago, Delhi got the connectivity of Dwarka Expressway and Urban Extension Road. This will increase the convenience of the people of Delhi, Gurugram and the entire NCR. Commuting to and from the office and factory will become easier, everyone's time will be saved. The business class and our farmers are going to get special benefits. I congratulate all the people of Delhi-NCR for these modern roads and modern infrastructure.

Friends, 

Day before yesterday, on 15th August, from the Red Fort, I spoke with confidence about the country's economy, the country's self-reliance, and the country's self-confidence. What today's India is thinking, what are its dreams, what are its resolutions, the whole world is experiencing all this today.

And friends, 

When the world looks at India, evaluates it, its first glance falls on our capital, our Delhi. Therefore, we have to make Delhi such a model of development, where everyone feels that yes, this is the capital of a developing India.

Friends, 

For the last 11 years, the Bhartiya Janata Party government at the Centre has continuously worked for this at different levels. Now as there is the issue of connectivity. The connectivity of Delhi-NCR has seen unprecedented improvement in the last decade. There are modern and wide expressways here, in terms of Delhi-NCR metro network, it is one of the largest network areas in the world. There is a modern rapid rail system like Namo Bharat here. That means, in the last 11 years, commuting in Delhi-NCR has become easier than before.

Friends, 

The task we have undertaken to make Delhi a great city is continuing. Even today we all are witnesses to this. Be it the Dwarka Expressway or the Urban Extension Road, both roads have been constructed superbly. After the Peripheral Expressway, now the Urban Extension Road is going to help Delhi a lot.

Friends, 

Urban Extension Road has another feature. It is also helping in freeing Delhi from mountains of garbage. Lakhs of tons of waste have been used in the construction of the Urban Extension Road. That is, by reducing the garbage mountains, that waste material has been used in building the road and this has been done in a scientific manner. Bhalswa landfill site is nearby. We all know how much of a problem this is for the families that live around here. Our government is working to free the people of Delhi from every such problem.

Friends, 

I am happy that the BJP government of Delhi, under the leadership of Rekha Gupta ji, is continuously engaged in cleaning the Yamuna. I was told that 16 lakh metric tons of silt has been removed from the Yamuna in such a short time. Not only this, in a very short span of time, 650 Devi electric buses have been launched in Delhi and not only this, in the future also the electric buses will cross the figure of almost two thousand in a very large number. This further strengthens the mantra of Green Delhi-Clean Delhi.

Friends, 

After many years, the BJP government has been formed in the capital Delhi. We were not even remotely in power for a long time and we see the way the previous governments have ruined Delhi, the way Delhi has been pushed into such a pit, I know how difficult it will be for the new BJP government to get Delhi out of the problems that have been mounting for a long time. First, the energy will be spent in filling the pit and then with great difficulty some work will be visible. But I am confident that the team you have selected in Delhi will work hard and take Delhi out of the problems it has been facing for the last several decades.

Friends, 

This coincidence has happened for the first time, when there is a BJP government everywhere, in Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan. This shows how much this entire region has blessed the BJP, all of us. Therefore, understanding our responsibility, we are engaged in the development of Delhi-NCR. However, there are some political parties who are still unable to digest this blessing of the people. They are very disconnected from both the trust of the people and the ground reality; they have gone far away. You will remember how a few months ago conspiracies were hatched to pit the people of Delhi and Haryana against each other, to create enmity between them. It was even said that the people of Haryana were poisoning the water of Delhi. Delhi and the entire NCR have been freed from such negative politics. Now we are moving ahead with the resolve to transform NCR. And I am confident that we will do it.

Friends, 

Good governance is the identity of BJP governments. For BJP governments, the public is supreme. You are our high command; our constant effort is to make the lives of the people easier. This is reflected in our policies, it is visible in our decisions. There was a time when Congress ruled Haryana, when it was difficult to get even an appointment without any kharchi-parchi (without giving some money or other favour). But in Haryana, the BJP government has given government jobs to lakhs of youth with complete transparency. This process is continuing under the leadership of Nayab Singh Saini ji.

Friends, 

Here in Delhi also, those who used to live in slums, those who did not have their own houses, are getting concrete houses. Where there was no electricity, water, gas connection, all these facilities are being provided there. And if I talk about the country, then in the last 11 years, a record number of roads have been built in the country, and our railway stations are being renovated. Modern trains like Vande Bharat fill us with pride. Airports are being built in small cities. Just look at how many airports have been built in NCR. Now flights have started going to many cities from Hindon Airport also. The airport in Noida is also going to be ready very soon.

Friends, 

This has been possible only when the country has changed its old practices in the last decade. The level of infrastructure that the country needed, the speed at which it should have been built, did not happen in the past. Now we have the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressway. Delhi-NCR had been feeling the need for this for many decades. During the UPA government, files started moving regarding this. But the work started when you gave us the opportunity to serve. When BJP governments were formed at the Centre and in Haryana. Today these roads are providing services with great pride.

Friends, 

This situation of indifference towards development projects was not just in Delhi-NCR, but in the entire country. Firstly, the budget for infrastructure was very low earlier, even the projects that were sanctioned were not completed for years. In the last 11 years, we have increased the infrastructure budget by more than 6 times. Now the emphasis is on completing the schemes quickly. That is why today projects like Dwarka Expressway are being completed.

And brothers and sisters, 

With all this money being invested, not only facilities are being created, these projects are also generating a huge number of jobs. When so much construction takes place, lakhs of people, from laborers to engineers, get employment. Jobs increase in factories and shops related to the construction material used. Employment is created in transport and logistics.

Friends, 

For those who have run governments for a long time, the biggest goal was to rule the people. Our effort is to end both government pressure and interference in people’s lives. I will give you another example of what the situation was earlier, in Delhi. You will be shocked to hear this. Our Swachhata Mitras in Delhi, the colleagues engaged in cleaning work, all of them play a very big responsibility in Delhi. As soon as we wake up in the morning, we should thank them first. But the previous governments considered these people as their slaves. I am talking about these small cleaning brothers of mine. These people who dance with the Constitution on their heads, how they crushed the Constitution, how they betrayed the sentiments of Baba Saheb, today I am going to tell you that truth. You will be stunned to hear what I say. For my brothers and sisters who work as sanitation workers in Delhi, there was a dangerous law for them in this country, in Delhi. There was one thing written in the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act that if a sanitation worker did not come to work without informing, he could be put in jail for a month. You tell me, think for yourself, what did these people think of Safai Karamcharis. Would you put them in jail, that too for a small mistake? Those who talk big about social justice today, had maintained many such rules and laws in the country. It is Modi who is digging out and searching for such wrong laws and eliminating them. Our government has already abolished hundreds of such laws and this campaign is continuing.

Friends, 

For us, reform means expansion of good governance. Therefore, we are constantly emphasizing on reform. In the times to come, we are going to do many big reforms so that everything, both life and business, becomes easier.

Friends, 

In this sequence, next generation reform is going to happen in GST. This Diwali, the countrymen are going to get a double bonus from GST reform. We have sent its complete format to the states. I hope that all the states will cooperate with this initiative of the Government of India. We will complete this process as soon as possible so that this Diwali can be more spectacular. Our effort is to further simplify GST and revise the tax rates. Every family, the poor and the middle class, every small and big entrepreneur, every trader and businessman will benefit from this.

Friends, 

The greatest power of India is our ancient culture, our ancient heritage. This cultural heritage has a philosophy of life, a living philosophy and in this philosophy of life we get to know both Chakradhari Mohan and Charkhadhari Mohan. From time to time, we experience both, from Chakradhari Mohan to Charkhadhari Mohan. Chakradhari Mohan means Lord Krishna, the bearer of Sudarshan Chakra, who made the people experience the power of Sudarshan Chakra and Charkhadhari Mohan means Mahatma Gandhi, who made the people experience the power of Swadeshi by spinning the charkha.

Friends, 

To empower India, we have to move forward by taking inspiration from Chakradhari Mohan and to make India self-reliant, we have to follow the path of Charkhadhari Mohan. We have to make Vocal for Local our life mantra.

Friends, 

This task is not difficult for us. Whenever we have taken a pledge, we have done it. I will give you a small example of Khadi, Khadi had reached the verge of extinction, there was no one to ask about it, when you gave me the opportunity to serve, I appealed to the country, the country took a pledge and its result was also seen. Khadi sales have increased almost 7 times in a decade. The people of the country have adopted Khadi with the mantra of Vocal for Local. Similarly, the country has also expressed confidence in Made in India phones. 11 years ago, we used to import most of the phones we needed. Today, most Indians use Made in India phones. Today we are manufacturing 30-35 crore mobile phones every year, 30-35 crore, 30-35 crore mobile phones and are also exporting them.

Friends, 

Our Made in India, our UPI, has today become the world's largest real time digital payment platform, the largest in the world. Be it railway coaches or locomotives made in India, their demand is now increasing in other countries of the world as well.

Friends, 

When it comes to road infrastructure, infrastructure, India has created a Gati Shakti platform, it has 1600 layers, one thousand six hundred layers of data and any project will have to go through what kind of conditions, what rules will it have to follow, whether it is wildlife or forest, whether it is a river or a drain, all these things are found in minutes and projects move forward at a fast pace. Today, a separate university of Gati Shakti has been created and Gati Shakti has become a very powerful path for the progress of the country.

Friends, 

Until a decade ago, we used to even import toys from abroad. But when we Indians took a pledge to be Vocal for Local, not only did toys start being manufactured in large quantities in India, but today we have also started exporting toys to more than 100 countries of the world.

Friends, 

Therefore, I will again request all of you, all countrymen, that we should trust the products made in India. If you are an Indian, then buy only those products which are made in India, now the festival season is going on. Share the happiness of your local products with your loved ones, you decide, you should give gifts which are made in India, made by Indians.

Friends, 

Today, I want to say one thing to the business community and the shopkeepers as well; at some point in time, you might have sold goods manufactured abroad so that you might have thought that you could get a little more profit. Now whatever you have done is done, but now you too should support me on the mantra of Vocal for Local. This one step of yours will not only benefit the country but also your family and your children. Every item sold by you will benefit some labourer or some poor person of the country. The money for everything you sell will remain in India and will be given to some Indian. That means it will only increase the purchasing power of Indians, strengthen the economy and hence it is my request to you to sell Made in India products with full pride.

Friends, 

Today, Delhi is becoming such a capital that brings together India's past with its future. Just a few days ago, the country got a new Central Secretariat, Kartavya Bhawan. A new Parliament has been built. The Kartavya Path is in front of us in a new form. Modern conference centers like Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi are enhancing the glory of Delhi today. These are making Delhi a great place for business and trade. I am confident that with the strength and inspiration of all these people, our Delhi will emerge as the best capital in the world. With this wish, once again, for these development works, I extend my best wishes and congratulations to all of you, to Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and the entire region is going to develop. Thank you very much to all of you!

 

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MJPS/VJ/SS

(Release ID: 2157285)