Nationalism getting more importance: Manoj Sinha

The performance of the NDA government during the last five years is enough to encourage people to vote this government back. The economy has improved tremendously. During the five years of this government, probably for the first time, Indian economy has been tagged as the fastest growing year after year. This is not an ordinary feat. The government has been able to keep all the key economic parameters under control.

With size of the economy expanding – we were 11th and now expecting to reach 5th – the government will have more resources and at the same time people’s expectations will also rise. More resources facilitate higher investment in infrastructure besides more spending on social welfare, poverty alleviation and farmers’ welfare.

I believe investment in infrastructure alone has gone up by 2 ½-3 times and the nation is moving towards next generation infrastructure. No one earlier thought of 14-lane peripheral expressways connecting Delhi to Meerut via Ghaziabad. Forget big cities, just think of travelling on Varanasi-Ghazipur-Mau-Gorakhpur, Varanasi-Azamgarh, Varanasi-Mirzapur or even on Varanasi-Jaunpur-Sultanpur-Lucknow routes (all key cities in eastern Uttar Pradesh), you will experience four-lane highways. All the four-lane highways developed during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s rule are now six lanes.

The process of electrification of key railway routes has been expedited. Passenger amenities on stations have undergone tremendous changes, transportation through waterways is getting accelerated. We have now 102 airports as against 52 a few years ago and airlines are buying more aircraft every year than what India has had during 1947 to 2016.

The country’s security has been accorded topmost priority and the government is committed on zero-tolerance policy. Just go to the villages and ask who constructed toilets, gave houses, LPG connections, electricity connections and who facilitated the opening of bank accounts. Answer to all these questions will be Modi. Farmers are saying the second instalment of ₹ 2,000 under PM Kissan Yojna is being credited into their accounts. What more does a voter want?

I don’t agree with this observation. I feel, with the kind of environment that has evolved in the country, nationalism has started gaining more importance.

I don’t think so. Employment does not mean just government jobs. When we are investing 2-3 times more in the infrastructure, don’t you think it is creating employment opportunities? Name one sector where investment has not gone up. There are opportunities not just in the government but also other sectors.

People laugh at the Mudra scheme, but I will request you to move around Ghazipur and see how many people have got self-employed. Yes, the person will have a very small business with just 2-3 people working, but if you count all such businesses, you will find more people have taken advantage of the Mudra scheme. Iit is also creating employment opportunities.

BSNL turned into red in 2008, but improved during our government. It registered operating profit for three years. However, with the entry of new players, charges for both voice and data came down drastically and there was impact on BSNL too. What ever is being alleged by the Congress and appeared in media are not true. Our ministry has drawn up a blueprint for the revival of BSNL and a Cabinet note has also been put up. If the Election Commission approves it, then it can be considered by the Cabinet.

When you talk about MTNL, the UPA government forced MTNL to get the spectrum forcibly, which was financed by bank loans. Now the interest alone has brought MTNL into deep problems. We are examining if MTNL’s assets can be monetised. We have a revival plan for both the telcos and as soon as the Election Commission gives its nod, we can announce the package. I can assure you that we are committed to revive both the telecos. Don’t forget that we managed to turn ITI into black after 17-18 years of losses. I must tell you that it is just a temporary phase for BSNL and MTNL.

I think it is a misunderstanding. When India Post Payment Bank was launched, our calculation was that there will be losses for the first three years and it will break even in the fourth year and then make profit. All the news about India Post Payment Bank is baseless.

The Department of Post does not operate on the profit-and-loss principle. Many services were to be provided at affordable rates.

Still, our government has prepared a strategy to see that the Department of Post becomes financially viable.

Keeping this in mind, we set up India Post Payment Bank and a dedicated directorate for parcel business.

We have just a share of 3-4 per cent in parcel business and our aim is to take it to 10 per cent. We are moving towards setting up an insurance company.

We are setting up strategic business units. All these will make India Post financially viable.

There have been loan waivers, even the BJP government in UP has implemented it. However, the fact is that many people are left behind. But when you talk about Kisan Samman Yojana, every farmer with certain land holding is getting the benefit. Now the BJP is saying that this will be made available to everyone, irrespective of the size of land holding. I don’t think people are having confidence in NYAY. When I was a school student, I attended a rally of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She had said that vipakash kah raha hai Indira hatao, main kahti hun garibi hatao (The Opposition is asking for my removal but I say eliminate the poverty).

Generation after generation, successive Congress governments continued with the slogan but poverty remains. There is an old saying fit for the Congress: “When we are in power, we don’t do anything and now, when we are in the Opposition, we are bringing NYAY.” People are not ready to believe this.

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