Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is keen on ensuring the benefits of its social welfare schemes reach all sections of the people and it is making sure that the schemes reached the beneficiaries irrespective of which party ruled the States, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said.
The Central government, she asserted, deputed its Ministers to visit various parts of the country and monitor the implementation of the welfare initiatives of Mr. Modi and send the feedback to the government. “Many might think that the BJP government is ruling from Delhi and that it hardly knows what’s happening in the States. New Delhi may be far from Tamil Nadu but several programmes like the health insurance scheme and initiatives for farmers are reaching the non-BJP ruled States including Tamil Nadu,” she said.
Addressing a conference of BJP’s traders’ wing in the city on Tuesday she said Union Ministers visited various States and personally ascertained the pace of implementation of the welfare programmes. “We are sending report to the Centre on how many people benefited out of the health insurance and other schemes, and also the pace of implementation of developmental programmes in 115 backward districts,” she emphasised.
Pointing out to her party members, especially those from the traders’ wing, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman said the wing had provided valuable suggestions on the roll out of GST. “As the revenue from GST increases, States stand to benefit because for instance from a GST of Rs. 100 collected, Rs. 42 goes to the State’s kitty. So, as the revenue collection through GST improves, States’ revenues too will go up,” the Minister added.
According to Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan the Centre’s Mudra scheme has provided loans to 14.10 crore persons to start business ventures on their own.
“All the political parties are keenly watching the decisions of the BJP government at the Centre… no one can hold back BJP's name when one talks about Tamil Nadu politics,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said.
