Maa Tripura Sundari Ki Jai, Beneshwar Dham Ki Jai, Mangarh Dham Ki Jai, Jai Guru to all of you! Ram-Ram! Hon’ble Governor Shri Haribhau Bagade ji, the popular Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma ji, former Chief Minister sister Vasundhara Raje ji, my colleague in the Cabinet Pralhad Joshi ji, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat ji and Ashwini Vaishnaw ji joining us from Jodhpur, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal ji joining us from Bikaner, Deputy Chief Ministers Prem Chand Bairwa ji and Diya Kumari ji, BJP State President Shri Madan Rathore ji, ministers of the Rajasthan government, other dignitaries present here, brothers and sisters,

On this fourth day of Navratri, I have had the good fortune to come to Banswara, the land of Maa Tripura Sundari. I also had the ‘darshan’ of Maa Mahi, who is considered the Ganga of Kanthal and Vagad. The waters of the Mahi River symbolize the struggle and resilience of our tribal brothers and sisters. The inspiring leadership of the great hero Govind Guru ji awakened a new consciousness, and the sacred waters of the Mahi bear witness to that epic saga. I bow with reverence to Maa Tripura Sundari and Maa Mahi.

Friends,

I pay respectful homage and bow to Maharana Pratap and Raja Bansiya Bhil from this land of devotion and valour.

Friends,

We worship the nine forms of Shakti during Navratri, and today such a grand event related to the power of energy, i.e. electricity production, is taking place here. A new chapter of Bharat’s potential in the power sector is being written today from the soil of Rajasthan. Power projects worth more than 90,000 crore rupees have been launched today in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Launching projects worth more than 90,000 crore rupees simultaneously shows that the nation is advancing at the speed of power, and every part of the country is participating in this pace. Every state is being given priority. Here in Rajasthan too, the foundation stones of clean energy projects and transmission lines have been laid. The Rajasthan Atomic Power Project has been inaugurated in Banswara. A solar energy project has also been launched here. This means that the country is taking its power generation capacity to new heights from solar energy to nuclear energy.

Friends,

Today, the vehicle of development runs only on electricity in the era of technology and industries. If there is electricity, there is light! If there is electricity, there is speed! If there is electricity, there is progress! If there is electricity, distances shrink! And if there is electricity, the world is within our reach.

But my brothers and sisters,

The Congress government in our country never paid attention to the importance of electricity. When you gave me the opportunity to serve and I took responsibility in 2014, there were 2.5 crore households in the country without an electricity connection. Even after 70 years of independence, 18,000 villages in the country didn’t even have an electricity pole. There used to be hours-long power cuts in big cities. In villages, getting electricity for 4–5 hours was considered a big deal. At that time, people used to joke that the news wasn’t when electricity went away, the news was when electricity came. People congratulated each other if there was electricity for even one hour. That was the situation. And factories couldn’t run without electricity and new industries couldn’t be set up. Such was the situation in Rajasthan and across the country. 

Brothers and sisters,

In 2014, our government resolved to change these conditions. We brought electricity to every village in the country. We gave free electricity connections to 2.5 crore households. And wherever the wires reached, electricity reached there too, lives became easier, and new industries came up.

Friends,

In the 21st century, any country that wants to grow rapidly must increase its electricity production. And the most successful will be those countries that lead in clean energy. That is why our government has turned the clean energy campaign into a people’s movement. We launched the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Under this scheme, solar panels are being installed on rooftops in both cities and villages. To provide cheap electricity to our farmers, solar pumps are being installed in fields under the PM-KUSUM Yojana. Today, solar projects have been inaugurated in many states in this direction. These projects will directly benefit lakhs of farmers. That means PM Surya Ghar Yojana for free electricity at home, and PM-KUSUM Yojana for free electricity in farms. Just a short while ago, I spoke to several farmer beneficiaries of the PM-KUSUM Yojana, including farmers from Maharashtra, and the experiences they shared were very encouraging. Free electricity from solar energy is proving to be a huge boon for them.

Friends,

Today Bharat is working at a fast pace to become developed, and Rajasthan too has a big role in this. Today, projects worth 30,000 crore rupees have also been launched here for the people of Rajasthan. These projects, related to water, electricity, and health, will increase facilities for you all. I have also flagged off three new trains, including Vande Bharat. At this time, a major campaign to create new employment opportunities is also underway across the country. As part of this effort, today 15,000 youth of Rajasthan have received appointment letters for government jobs. I extend my best wishes to all these young people for this new journey of their lives. I also congratulate the people of Rajasthan on these development projects.

Friends,

I am happy that today the BJP government of Rajasthan is working with full honesty for the development of the state. The wounds that Congress inflicted by looting Rajasthan are being healed by our government. Rajasthan had become the centre of paper leaks under the Congress government. Even the Jal Jeevan Mission was sacrificed at the altar of corruption. Crimes against women were at their peak, and rapists were being protected. Areas like Banswara, Dungarpur, and Pratapgarh saw a rise in crime and illegal liquor trade during Congress rule. But when you gave the BJP a chance here, we strengthened law and order, accelerated schemes, and launched major projects. Today, highways and expressways are being laid across Rajasthan. Today, the BJP government is putting Rajasthan, especially South Rajasthan, on the path of rapid development.

Friends,

Today is the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya ji. He gave us the principle of Antyodaya. Antyodaya means the upliftment of the person standing on the last step of society. His vision has today become our mission. We are working for the welfare of the poor, Dalits, backward classes, and tribals with a spirit of service. Guided by the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, we are moving forward.

Friends,

Congress has always ignored the tribal community and never understood their needs. It is the BJP government that prioritized tribal welfare and created a separate ministry for it. When Atal ji’s government came, the Tribal Ministry was established for the first time. Before that, decades had passed, great leaders came and went, but no separate ministry was made for tribal communities. It was only when Atal ji came that it happened during the BJP government. During the Congress era, no one could even imagine such big projects in tribal regions! But under the BJP government, all this has become possible. Recently, we launched a huge PM MITRA Park in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, which is also a tribal area. This will greatly benefit tribal farmers, especially cotton-growing farmers.

Friends,

It is because of the BJP’s efforts that today the daughter of a poor tribal family, respected Droupadi Murmu ji, has become the President of the country. It was President Murmu herself who raised the issue of the most deprived tribal communities. Inspired by her, we launched the PM JANMAN Yojana. Under this scheme, even the most marginalized tribal groups are being given priority. Today, tribal villages are being modernized under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan. People know Bhagwan Birsa Munda as Dharti Aaba. This campaign will benefit more than 5 crore tribal people. Hundreds of Eklavya Model Residential Schools are being opened across the country. We have also recognized the forest rights of forest dwellers and Scheduled Tribes.

Friends,

You also know that our tribal brothers and sisters have been using forest resources for thousands of years. We launched the Van Dhan Yojana to ensure that these forest resources become a means of their progress. We increased the MSP for forest produce. We also connected tribal products to the market. As a result, there has been a record increase in forest produce across the country.

Friends,

It is our commitment that the tribal community gets the opportunity to live life with dignity. Protecting their faith, their self-respect, and their culture is our solemn pledge.

Friends,

When the life of the common citizen becomes easier, then he himself takes the lead in driving the country’s progress. You may recall, the situation was so bad 11 years ago during the Congress era. And why was it bad? Because the Congress government was engaged in exploiting the very people of the country, looting the citizens of the country. At that time, both taxes and inflation were sky high. When you blessed Modi, our government put an end to the Congress’s loot.

Friends,

And this is exactly the reason why they are so angry with me these days.

Friends,

In 2017, we freed the country from the tangle of taxes and tolls by implementing GST. From the very first day of this Navratri, a major reform has again been made in GST. As a result, today the entire country is celebrating a GST ‘Bachat’ (Savings) Festival. Most of the everyday items used in households have become cheaper. Here, so many mothers and sisters have gathered. When I was coming here in the jeep, all the mothers and sisters were showering their blessings. Household expenses for mothers and sisters have gone down.

Friends,

Before 2014, if you bought everyday items like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, or tooth powder worth 100 rupees, you actually had to pay 131 rupees. The item cost 100 rupees, but you had to pay 131 rupees. I am talking about the time before 2014, when today’s so-called “statement warriors” spread all kinds of lies. The Congress government used to charge 31 rupees tax on a purchase of 100 rupees. In 2017, when we implemented GST for the first time, that same 100-rupee item became available at just 118 rupees. Meaning, compared to the Congress government, people saved 13 rupees on every 100 rupees under the BJP government. Now, after the GST reform we introduced on 22nd September, that same 100-rupee item, which earlier cost 131 rupees, now costs only 105 rupees. Just 5 rupees tax! From 31 rupees tax to only 5 rupees tax! This means compared to the Congress era, today you are saving 26 rupees on every 100 rupees spent. Mothers and sisters carefully manage the monthly budget. By this calculation, you will now be saving hundreds of rupees every month.

Friends,

Footwear is everyone’s need. In Congress rule, if you bought a pair of shoes worth 500 rupees, it used to cost you 575 rupees. That means on a 500-rupee shoe, Congress collected 75 rupees in tax. When we implemented GST, the tax was reduced by 15 rupees. Now, after the new GST reform, you will save another 50 rupees on the same pair of shoes. Earlier, shoes above 500 rupees attracted even higher tax. We removed that 500-rupee slab. Now, instead of taxing only up to 500, we reduced the tax slab up to 2,500 rupees worth of shoes.

Friends,

A normal family dreams of having a scooter or motorcycle. Under Congress rule, even this was out of reach. On a 60,000-rupee bike, Congress charged over 19,000 rupees in tax. Just imagine! On 60,000 rupees, more than 19,000 rupees as tax. In 2017, when we brought GST, this tax was reduced by 2,000–2,500 rupees. And now, after the new GST rates that came into effect on 22nd September, the tax on a 60,000-rupee bike has been brought down to just 10,000 rupees. Compared to 2014, this means a benefit of about 9,000 rupees.

Friends,

During Congress rule, building a house was also very expensive. On a 300-rupee bag of cement, the Congress government used to charge more than 90 rupees tax. After GST came in 2017, this was reduced by about 10 rupees. And now, with the reform we made on 22nd September, the GST on the same bag of cement is only about 50 rupees. That means, compared to 2014, there is a saving of 40 rupees on every bag of cement today. In short, where under Congress there was only loot, under the BJP government today there are only savings. That is why the entire country is celebrating the GST Savings Festival. 

But brothers and sisters,

While the GST Savings Festival is going on, we also have another goal and that is ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India). It is now very necessary that we should not remain dependent on others, and the path to this lies in the mantra of Swadeshi. Therefore, we must never forget the mantra of Swadeshi. I appeal to all of you, and to the people across Rajasthan and every corner of the country who are listening to me, especially my shopkeeper and trader friends: whatever we sell should be Swadeshi, and I appeal to my fellow citizens: whatever we buy should also be Swadeshi. We should ask the shopkeeper, “Tell me brother, is this Swadeshi or not?” My definition of Swadeshi is very simple: the company may belong to any country, the brand may belong to any country, but the product must be made in Bharat, created by the hard work of our youth, infused with the sweat and fragrance of our people, with the essence of our soil. For me, that is Swadeshi. That is why I tell all traders: Put up a board in your shops saying with pride: “This is Swadeshi.” When you buy Swadeshi, that money goes to an artisan, a worker, a trader of our own country. That money doesn’t go abroad; it stays here for the development of the nation. It builds new highways, new roads, schools, hospitals, and homes for the poor. Therefore, friends, we must make Swadeshi our pride. In this festive season, I urge all of you to take a pledge to buy only Swadeshi goods. With this pledge, once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all of you for the many projects related to development and employment. Thank you very much! Say with me with full energy: Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Raise your hands and hail Maa Bharti. Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Thank you very much!

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MJPS/VJ/VK