3 Years of Modi 2.0 | BJP on course to fulfil manifesto promises despite pandemic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurls the national flat at Red Fort. (Image: Twitter/@mygovindia)

The Narendra Modi government has completed eight years in office, and three years in its second term on May 30. About eight to nine months into the second term, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and it has affected individuals and governments. It has pushed the economy back, and changed priorities of governance.

Though the Union government was (and is) relentlessly leading from the front, the pandemic exposed the chinks in our healthcare system. The successful vaccination programme in which India has administered 16 percent of total doses given in the world, along with relief measures (including free ration, cash transfers to Jan Dhan accounts, higher outlay for NREGA, and credit guarantee schemes for the MSMEs) have negated its adverse impact propelling India to path of gradual recovery.

The Union government’s three-year mark is a good time to look at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s progress on its 2019 election manifesto promises. The manifesto ‘Sankalpit Bharat, Shashakt Bharat’ comprised 12 broad promises. These include nation first, doubling farmers’ income, making India the third-largest economy, education for all, a healthy India, woman empowerment, good governance, inclusive development, and laying an infrastructure foundation.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has revoked Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir. It also passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill providing eligibility for Indian citizenship to illegal Hindu migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

India has not budged on its stand of the LAC being non-negotiable in face-offs with China in Ladakh. National security continues to be of paramount importance, and the government has exhibited zero tolerance on terrorism.

While the government has prepared a blueprint for becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025, the lockdowns have impacted economic activity, and have shaved off almost two years of growth. However its resolve and resilience together with structural reforms undertaken is likely to help achieve the goal by 2026-27, as per IMF.

The government has fulfilled its promise of lower tax rates for the corporate sector, announcing a reduction from 30-22 percent. It has also introduced a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the manufacturing sector to lure companies shifting from China as part of balancing their global supply chains.

On the infrastructure front, the Modi government has unveiled Rs 102 lakh-crore-worth 7,000 projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline spanning across energy, roads, irrigation, health, digital India, and urban development to be developed by 2024. It has also launched an ambitious asset monetisation programme to fund infrastructure creation.

The profile of India has enhanced globally on account of its deft foreign policy while its gesture of supplying vaccines to poor countries has it won accolades.

India’s Ease of Doing Business ranking has jumped 69 places from 132 in 2011 (under UPA-II) to 63 in 2020 on account of structural reforms that include streamlining the process of obtaining a building permit, making starting a business easier, and the introduction of GST.

However, the party’s key reform to augment the incomes of farmers, the three farm laws, were withdrawn by the government after extended protests. This is by far the biggest setback of the Modi government in its second term.

Some of the promises such as holding simultaneous elections, reservation for women, Uniform Civil Code, UNSC permanent seat, police and judicial reforms, have seen little or no progress. We should appreciate the fact that the focus of the government for most of the last two years has been on managing the pandemic, hence some of the promises have not been acted upon yet.

The actions taken have been appreciated by the poor as evidenced by BJP sweeping the state elections early this year.

The current economic challenges of price rise, unemployment, agri-distress could mount challenge for the party in 2024. BJP MP Subramaniam Swamy has expressed fear of an India Shining 2004 repeat in 2024. However, the BJP is still seen as the one capable of solving India’s problems with the Opposition in complete disarray.

Modi’s popularity is still very high as he has managed to create a perception of good intent in his actions, including his failures.

Though a clear theme for the 2024 general elections is yet to become evident, it could be the tried and tested social engineering-labharthi combo. One could also expect the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code or the introduction of Universal Basic Income.

Amitabh Tiwari is a former corporate and investment banker-turned political strategist and commentator. Twitter: @politicalbaaba.

Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.