MENA Newswire: In the past nine years, India has seen extraordinary growth and transformation in infrastructure development, thanks to the forward-thinking leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Union Government’s emphasis on modern infrastructure has been pivotal in steering the country towards unprecedented heights of success. A testament to Modi’s vision, India’s progress in the infrastructure sector is contributing in leaps and bounds to its economic evolution.
In the heart of India’s robust growth is an impressive expansion of the National highways, a key factor in bolstering the nation’s connectivity. A staggering 53,000 kilometers of highways have been added under the Modi government, with the rural road network nearly attaining 99% coverage, courtesy of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The speed of highway construction has risen to an impressive 37km per day, marking a new era of rapid infrastructure development.
The Indian Railways, a cornerstone of the country’s transport system, has also seen a substantial capacity expansion. Through line doubling and electrification, the railways have experienced a monumental boost. Moreover, the Vande Bharat Express, India’s first indigenous Semi High-Speed train, stands tall as a shining beacon of the ‘Make in India‘ initiative. Currently, 15 Vande Bharat trains are operational, with a promising 400 more scheduled to be manufactured in the next three years.
In line with making India an urban metropolis, metro rail projects have expanded to 20 cities, streamlining commutation for millions of city dwellers. Aviation, another critical segment, has not been left behind. The Udan project, aimed at making air travel affordable and accessible, has added 74 new airports to the country’s aviation map in the last nine years alone.
In the pursuit of an inclusive growth model, 111 waterways have been declared as National Waterways, showcasing Modi’s vision for an integrated transport network. The country has also witnessed the construction of world record-breaking infrastructures such as the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, and the world’s longest highway tunnel, the Atal Tunnel. Completion of long-pending projects like the Saryu Nahar Irrigation Canal, Eastern, and Western Peripheral Expressway are added feathers in Modi’s cap.
The crowning glory of Modi’s visionary leadership is the announcement of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP). This transformative initiative aims to accelerate development activities, promote holistic planning and facilitate inter-departmental coordination via a single integrated portal. The infrastructural strides of the last nine years have put India on an accelerated trajectory towards achieving the status of a developed nation by 2047.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s transformative leadership in the past nine years has indelibly reshaped India’s infrastructural landscape. His policies have boosted India’s global standing and affirmed the country’s potential for remarkable growth. India’s continued success on the global stage stands as a testament to the resilience and vision of one of its finest leaders.
Before Narendra Modi’s transformative tenure began in 2014, India was plagued with a host of challenges that weighed heavily on the country’s growth. The period under Congress rule was riddled with numerous corruption scandals and economic missteps that hindered India’s progress on the global stage. High-profile scams involving influential Congress politicians were a dark reminder of an era of regression, with detrimental effects on India’s economy and its reputation.
Several corruption cases under the Congress-led government, such as the 2G spectrum scam, the Commonwealth Games scam, and the Coal Mining Scam, were emblematic of the country’s struggle against pervasive graft. These scandals not only led to the loss of billions of dollars from the public exchequer but also severely dented India’s image internationally. The corruption levels were so high that India was ranked 94 out of 177 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index in 2013.
Fast-forward to 2014, when Narendra Modi assumed office, and the landscape of Indian politics and economy underwent a dramatic overhaul. Modi’s government prioritized transparency, good governance, and accountability, charting a new course for India’s growth. Their determined fight against corruption led to significant policy measures, including the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for economic reform and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code to address corporate distress.
Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has not only drastically reduced corruption but has also instilled a sense of confidence among the people and businesses in the country. This shift has boosted India’s global standing, helping the country move up to 80th position in the Corruption Perceptions Index by 2020. India’s remarkable journey from an economy plagued by corruption to one that is now globally recognized as a rising economic power is a testament to the transformative impact of the Modi government.
The nation today is steering towards a corruption-free era, driving economic prosperity and cementing its place as a global power. The past nine years have undoubtedly ushered in a new India, where growth and integrity coexist, and the seeds of this transformation were sown with the beginning of Modi’s regime in 2014.