pm modi on tourism

"Lakshadweep has immense potential to become a global tourist destination. Gratitude to PM Narendra Modi Ji for promoting Lakshadweep, this will surely boost tourism, and the economy and thus elevate the living standards of its people," Amit Shah tweeted.

‘VOCAL FOR LOCAL’

"Lakshadweep is not just a group of islands; it's a timeless legacy of traditions and a testament to the spirit of its people. My visit has been an enriching journey of learning and growing," PM Modi posted on X.

The batting for Lakshadweep as a tourist destination is in line with the Prime Minister's pitch for choosing Indian destinations for weddings and tourism. In November last year, he questioned the trend of organising weddings abroad as noticed among various "big families" and urged such events to take place within the country as part of 'Wed in India'.

"Even poor people will tell their children about your wedding. Can you expand this mission of 'Vocal for Local'? Why don't we hold such wedding ceremonies in our own country?" he asked during the 107th edition of Mann ki Baat.

He renewed the pitch during his speech at the Uttarakhand Investors' Summit in Dehradun last month, urging Indians to have at least "one destination wedding" in the Himalayan hill state. He said just like 'Make in India', a new movement known as 'Wed in India' should begin, and encouraged young citizens to get married within India, while highlighting the country's strength and abilities.

GEOPOLITICAL ADVANTAGE

The Prime Minister's push for Lakshadweep as an island destination among travellers could also be seen as a counter to India's neighbour the Maldives - which is a popular beach destination among Indians. The Maldives is a group of nearly 1,200 islands, however, only about 100 of these are inhabited. Many of these islands are famous for tourism.

More importantly, there have been apprehensions of 'anti-India' approach by the Maldives lately amid its growing closeness with China.

On November 18 last year, the Maldives - headed by newly-elected President Mohamed Muizzu - formally requested India to withdraw its military presence from the island nation. Muizzu asserted that he was firmly committed to ensuring that his country stays "free" of any "foreign military presence" to preserve its independence and sovereignty. In December 2023, the Maldivian President announced that India had agreed to withdraw its military forces.

This was Muizzu's primary campaign weapon before being elected to office.

China and Muizzu's party enjoy good ties, with the former's influence in the island nation becoming visible in the past few years. As many as 10 islands in the Maldives have been leased to China and the latter is also reportedly stationing ships there and conducting military operations on a large scale. Furthermore, China is seeking the Maldives's permission to dock its 'research survey vessel' of the Yuan Wang series for conducting deep-water exploration in the Southern Indian Ocean from this month. There also have been talks of a free trade agreement with the Maldives from the Chinese side.

If the current government under Muizzo accepts these, it would be a setback for India.

MUSLIM VOTERS

During his address in Lakshadweep, PM Modi reached out to the Muslims of the archipelago, who dominate the population of the region. He spoke about steps adopted by his BJP government for Haj Yatris that have benefited the people of Lakshadweep. The Prime Minister also noted that the ease of Haj visa and digitisation of the process and permission for women to go on Haj without 'Mehram' have resulted in a remarkable increase in the number of Indians going for 'Umrah'.

"The area of Lakshadweep may be small, but the people here have a big heart. I am overwhelmed by the love and blessings I am receiving here. I express my gratitude to you all," PM Modi said during his speech.

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• The country is looking at tourism in a holistic way: PM Modi --> The country is looking at tourism in a holistic way: PM Modi --> The country is looking at tourism in a holistic way: PM Modi

The country is looking at tourism in a holistic way: PM Modi

Jai Somnath!

Present in the program are Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, State BJP President and my colleague in Parliament Shri CR Patil ji, Ministers in Gujarat Government, Purnesh Modi, Arvind Raiyani and Devabhai Malam, Junagadh MP Rajesh Chudasama, members of the Somnath Temple Trust, other excellencies and ladies and gentlemen!

It is said in our scriptures in reverence of Lord Somnath --

भक्ति प्रदानाय कृपा अवतीर्णम्, तम् सोमनाथम् शरणम् प्रपद्ये॥

That is, the blessing of Lord Somnath is personified and the treasury of blessings is opened. It is the special blessings of Somnath Dada that a series of development works are being carried out here for some time. I consider it the privilege that I am watching so many activities after joining the Somnath Trust. Several development works, including an exhibition gallery and promenade, were inaugurated here a few months ago. The foundation stone of the Parvati temple was also laid. And today, the Somnath Circuit House is also being inaugurated. I extend hearty congratulations to the Government of Gujarat, the Somnath Temple Trust and all of you on this important occasion.

The need for a Circuit House was felt here. In the absence of the Circuit House, there was a lot of pressure on the temple trust for arranging accommodation for those coming from outside. The pressure on the temple has also reduced considerably with the opening of this Circuit House, an independent system. And it is also not too far away from the temple. Now they (trustees) will be able to concentrate more on the temple chores. I am told that this building has been designed in such a way that people staying here would also get a sea view. That is, when people sit in their rooms peacefully, they would also see the waves of the sea as well as the peak of Somnath. In the midst of the waves of the sea and the peak of Somnath, they would also see the consciousness of India standing proud by tearing the forces of time. Be it Diu, Gir, Dwarka, Veda Dwarka, Somnath will in a way become a focal point of the entire tourism sector due to these increasing facilities for those traveling this region. It will become a very important power center.

When we look at the journey of our civilization full of challenges, we get an idea of ​​what India has gone through in hundreds of years of slavery. The circumstances in which the Somnath temple was destroyed, and the circumstances in which the temple was renovated by the efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, have a great message for us. The places of faith and culture like Somnath are important centers of what we want to learn from the past of the country during the Amrit Mahotsav of freedom.

About one crore devotees come every year to visit the Somnath temple from different states, from different parts of the country and the world. Upon their return, these devotees carry with them many new experiences, ideas and beliefs. Therefore, the more important a journey is, the equally important is its experience. Especially in pilgrimage, we wish that our mind is rooted in God and we are not bothered about problems related to the journey. Somnath temple is also a living example of how the efforts of the government and institutions have decorated many pilgrimage centers. Now there are better arrangements for the devotees and improvement in roads and transport facilities. A better promenade, parking facilities, tourist facilitation center and modern arrangements for waste management have also been developed for cleanliness. The proposal for a splendid Pilgrim Plaza and Complex is also in its final stages. Just now, our Purneshbhai was describing it too. Plans are afoot for a similar development of tourist amenities at Maa Ambaji temple. We have already completed many such development works at Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukmani Temple and Gomti Ghat. These are providing convenience to the tourists and also strengthening the cultural identity of Gujarat.

In the midst of these achievements, I would also like to thank and congratulate all the religious and social organizations of Gujarat on this occasion. The way you are continuing with development and service tasks at a personal level is the best example of the spirit of ‘Sabka Prayas’ (everybody’s effort) from my point of view. The way the Somnath Temple Trust took care of the devotees in the wake of difficulties arising out of Corona and took up the responsibility of society reflects our belief that Shiva is in every creature.

We hear about the contribution of tourism to the economy of many countries and it is prominently showcased. We have as much potential as it is in each country of the world in every state and region. There are endless such possibilities. You take the name of any state, what comes to mind first? If you take the name of Gujarat, then Somnath, Dwarka, Statue of Unity, Dholavira, Rann of Kutch and many such wonderful places emerge in your mind. If you take the name of UP, then many places like Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi, Prayag, Kushinagar, Vindhyachal swamp our minds. The common man always has the desire to visit all these places. Uttarakhand is Devbhoomi in itself. Badrinath ji, Kedarnath ji are there. Talking about Himachal Pradesh, Maa Jwaladevi, Maa Nainadevi are there. The entire Northeast is full of divine and natural aura. Similarly, the names of Tamil Nadu for visiting Rameshwaram, Odisha for Puri, Andhra Pradesh for Tirupati Balaji, Maharashtra for Siddhivinayak ji and Kerala for Sabarimala come to mind. Whichever state you name, many centers of pilgrimage and tourism will come to our mind. These places represent the spirit of our national unity and ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India, Supreme India). Visiting these places enhances national integration. Today the nation is also identifying these places as a staunch source of prosperity. With the development of these places, we can accelerate the development of a large sphere.

The country has been working relentlessly for the last seven years to realize the potential of tourism. The development of tourist centers is not just a part of the government scheme, but a campaign of public participation. The heritage sites of the country and the development of our cultural heritage is great example of this. The heritage sites which were lying neglected earlier are now being developed with the efforts of everyone. The private sector has also come forward to cooperate in this regard. Campaigns like Incredible India and Dekho Apna Desh are placing the pride of the country in front of the world and promoting tourism.

Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, 15 theme-based tourist circuits are also being developed in the country. These circuits not only connect different parts of the country but also facilitate tourism by giving it a new identity. Through the Ramayana circuit, you can visit all the places associated with Lord Rama. A special train has also been launched by the Railways in this regard and I am told that it is becoming very popular.

A special train is also going to start from Delhi for Divya Kashi Yatra from tomorrow. Buddha Circuit is making it convenient for tourists from India and abroad to visit all the places of Lord Buddha. Visa rules have also been relaxed for foreign tourists, which will also benefit the country. Right now, there are some problems due to Covid, but I believe the number of tourists will pick up again once the infection subsides. In the vaccination campaign launched by the government, special care has also been taken to ensure that everyone gets vaccinated on a priority basis in our tourist states. States like Goa and Uttarakhand have made rapid progress in this regard.

Today the country is looking at tourism in a holistic way. In the present circumstances, four things are necessary to boost tourism. First, cleanliness -- earlier our tourist and pilgrimage places used to be untidy. Today the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has changed this image. With increased cleanliness, tourism is also booming. Another important factor in promoting tourism is convenience. But the scope of facilities should not be restricted to tourist places only. There should be facilities for transport, internet, correct information, medical arrangements and all kinds. And all-round work is happening in the country in this regard.

Time is the third important aspect of increasing tourism. It is the era of Twenty-Twenty. People want to cover maximum places in minimum time. The highways, expressways, modern trains and new airports in the country are helping a lot in this regard. Airfares have also come down significantly due to the UDAN scheme. That is, with the reduction in travel time, expenses are coming down and tourism is also flourishing. If we look at Gujarat itself, we have a ropeway in Banaskantha for visiting Ambaji, Pavagadh for visiting Kalika Mata, now there is a ropeway in Girnar and in Satpura, so in all, four ropeways are in place. After the introduction of these ropeways, the convenience of tourists has increased and the number of tourists is also increasing. Right now, many things have come to a halt under the influence of Corona, but we have seen that when school and college students go on education tours, these historical places also teach a lot to them. When facilities are improving at such places across the country, the students will also be able to learn and understand easily and their attachment with the country's heritage will also strengthen.

The fourth and very important aspect to increase tourism is our thinking. It is necessary for our thinking to be innovative and modern. But at the same time, we should also be proud of our ancient heritage. It matters a lot. We have this pride in us, and therefore, we are bringing back the stolen idols from India, old heritage from all over the world. Our ancestors have left so much for us. But there was a time when it was hesitant to talk about our religious-cultural identity. The makeover happened only for a few families in Delhi after independence. But today the country is leaving behind that narrow approach and is building new places of pride and giving them grandeur. It is our government that built Baba Saheb Memorial in Delhi. It is our own government that built the APJ Abdul Kalam memorial in Rameshwaram. Similarly, grandeur has been added to places associated with great personalities like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Shyamji Krishna Varma. Adivasi (tribal) museums are also being built across the country to bring to the fore the glorious history of our tribal society. The Statue of Unity built in Kevadiya is the pride of the entire country. Before the start of the Corona period, more than 45 lakh people had already visited the Statue of Unity. Despite the Corona period, more than 75 lakh people have visited the Statue of Unity so far. This is the potential and charm of our newly built places. These efforts will also give a new height to our identity along with tourism in the time to come.

And friends,

When I talk about ‘Vocal for Local’, I have seen some people thinking that Modi's ‘Vocal for Local’ means where to buy lamps during Diwali. Don't limit its meaning to that sense, please. When I suggest ‘Vocal for Local’, there is tourism also in my view. I always insist that if there is a desire of the children in the family to go abroad, to go to Dubai or Singapore, then the family should decide to visit 15-10 important places of the country before planning to go abroad. Experience India first before visiting other places in the world!

We need to adopt ‘Vocal for Local’ in every sphere of life. We need to follow this path if we have to make the country prosperous and create opportunities for the youth. During the Amrit Mahotsav of freedom, we are taking a pledge for an India which will be as modern as it is rooted in its traditions. Our pilgrimage and tourist places will work to fill color in this new India. These will become symbols of both our heritage and development. I am confident this relentless journey of the development of the country will continue with the blessings of Somnath Dada.

Once again, I congratulate all of you on the new Circuit House.

Thank you very much.

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सवाल : चुनाव खत्म होने में गिनती के दिन शेष हैं। मौजूदा चुनावों में आप किस तरह का बदलाव देखते हैं? जवाब : सबसे बड़ा बदलाव यह है कि आज मतदाता 21वीं सदी की राजनीति देखना चाहता है। इसमें परफॉर्मेंस की बात हो, देश को आगे ले जाने वाले विजन की बात हो और जिसमें विकसित भारत बनाने के रोडमैप की चर्चा हो। अब लोग जानना चाहते हैं कि राजनीतिक दल हमारे बच्चों के लिए क्या करेंगे? देश का भविष्य बनाने के लिए नेता क्या कदम उठाएंगे? राजनेताओं से आज लोग ये सब सुनना चाहते हैं। लोग पार्टियों का ट्रैक रिकॉर्ड भी देखते हैं। किसी पार्टी ने क्या वादे किए थे, और उनमें से कितने पूरे कर पाई, इसका हिसाब भी मतदाता लगा लेता है। लेकिन कांग्रेस और ‘इंडी गठबंधन’ के नेता अब भी 20वीं सदी में ही जी रहे हैं। आज लोग ये पूछ रहे हैं कि आप हमारे बच्चों के लिए क्या करने वाले हैं तो ये अपने पिता, नाना, परदादा, नानी, परनानी की बात कर रहे हैं। लोग पूछते हैं कि देश के विकास का रोडमैप क्या है तो ये परिवार की सीट होने का दावा करने लगते हैं। वे लोगों को जातियों में बांट रहे हैं, धर्म से जुड़े मुद्दे उठा रहे हैं, तुष्टीकरण की राजनीति कर रहे हैं। ये ऐसे मुद्दे ला रहे हैं, जो लोगों की सोच और आकांक्षा से बिल्कुल अलग हैं।   सवाल : क्या आपको लगता नहीं कि चुनाव व्यवस्था और राजनीतिक आचार-व्यवहार में सुधार की आवश्यकता है। अपनी ओर से कोई पहल करेंगे? जवाब : देश के लोग लगातार उन राजनीतिक दलों को खारिज कर रहे हैं जो नकारात्मक राजनीति में विश्वास रखते हैं। जो सकारात्मक बात या अपना विजन नहीं बताते, वो जनता का विश्वास भी नहीं जीत पाते। जो सिर्फ विरोध की राजनीति में विश्वास रखते हैं, जो सिर्फ विरोध के लिए विरोध करते हैं, ऐसे लोगों को जनता लगातार नकार रही है। ऐसे में उन लोगों को जनता का मूड समझना होगा और अपने आप में सुधार लाना होगा। मैं आपको कांग्रेस का उदाहरण दे रहा हूं। कांग्रेस आज जड़ों से बिलकुल कट चुकी है। वो समझ ही नहीं पा रही है कि इस देश की संस्कृति क्या है। इस चुनाव के दौरान पार्टी नेताओं ने जैसी बातें बोली हैं, उससे पता चलता है कि वो भारतीय लोकतंत्र के मूल तत्व को पकड़ नहीं पा रही।

कांग्रेस नेता विभाजनकारी बयानबाजी, व्यक्तिगत हमले और अपशब्द बोलने से बाहर नहीं निकल पा रहे। उन्हें लग रहा होगा कि उनके तीन-चार चाटुकारों ने अगर उस पर ताली बजा दी तो इतना काफी है। वो इसी से खुश हैं, लेकिन उनको ये नहीं पता चल रहा है कि जनता में इन सारी चीजों को लेकर बहुत गुस्सा है। कांग्रेस तो अहंकारी है, जनता की बात सुनने वाली नहीं है। वो तो नहीं बदल सकती। लेकिन जो उनके सहयोगी दल हैं, वो देखें कि जनता का मूड क्या है, वो क्या बोल रही है। उन्हें समझना होगा कि इस राह पर चले तो लगातार रिजेक्शन ही मिलने वाला है। मुझे लगता है कि लोग इन्हें रिजेक्ट कर-कर के इनको सिखाएंगे। राजनीति में जो सुधार चाहिए वो लोग ही अपने वोट की शक्ति से कर देते हैं। लोग ही राजनीतिक दलों, खासकर नकारात्मक राजनीति करने वालों को सिखाएंगे और बदलाव लाएंगे।   सवाल : क्या इस चुनाव में जातीय और धार्मिक विभाजन के सवाल ज्यादा उभर आए हैं? जब चुनाव शुरू हुआ था तो एजेंडा अलग था, आखिरी चरण आने तक अलग?   जवाब : ये सवाल उनसे पूछा जाना चाहिए, जिन्होंने पहले धर्म के आधार पर देश का विभाजन कराया। अब भी 60-70 साल से ये विभाजन की राजनीति ही कर रहे हैं। एक तरफ उनकी कोशिश होती है कि किसी समाज को जाति के आधार पर कैसे तोड़ा जाए? दूसरी तरफ वो देखते हैं कि कैसे एक वोट बैंक को जोड़कर मजबूत वोट बैंक बनाए रखा जाए। दूसरा, ये सवाल उनसे पूछा जाना चाहिए जो सिर्फ तुष्टीकरण की राजनीति के लिए एससी, एसटी और ओबीसी का आरक्षण छीनकर धर्म के आधार आरक्षण देना चाहते हैं। इसके लिए वो संविधान के विरुद्ध कदम उठाने को तैयार हैं। ये सवाल कांग्रेस और ‘इंडी गठबंधन’ वालों से पूछा जाना चाहिए, क्योंकि वही हैं जो वोट जिहाद की बात कर रहे हैं। ये सवाल उनसे पूछा जाना चाहिए जो अपने घोषणा पत्र में खुलेआम ये लिख रहे हैं कि वो जनता की संपत्ति छीन लेंगे और उसका बंटवारा दूसरों में कर देंगे। ये जो बंटवारे की राजनीति है, विभाजन की सोच है उसे अब विपक्ष खुलकर सामने रख रहा है। अब वो इसे छिपा भी नहीं रहे हैं। वो खुलकर इसका प्रदर्शन कर रहे हैं, तो ये सारे सवाल उनसे पूछे जाने चाहिए। देश और समाज को बांटने वाले ऐसे लोगों को जनता इस चुनाव में कड़ा सबक सिखाएगी।   सवाल :  एक देश, एक चुनाव के लिए आपने पहल की थी। क्या आपको लगता है कि इतने बड़े देश में यह संभव है। अगर हां..तो किस तरह से ये लागू हो सकेगा? जवाब : एक देश, एक चुनाव भाजपा का और हमारी सरकार का विचार रहा है, लेकिन हम ये चाहते हैं कि इसके आसपास एक आम सहमति बने। पूर्व राष्ट्रपति रामनाथ कोविंद जी की अध्यक्षता में बनी कमेटी ने जो रिपोर्ट सौंपी है, उसमें विस्तार से एक देश एक चुनाव के बारे समझाया गया है। इस पर पूरे देश में चर्चा हो, वाद हो, संवाद हो, इसके लाभ और हानि पर बात हो, इसमें क्या किया जा सकता है और कैसे किया जा सकता है। फिर इस पर एक आम सहमति बने। इससे हम एक अच्छे सकारात्मक समाधान पर पहुंच सकते हैं। जो अभी का सिस्टम है उसमें हर समय कहीं ना कहीं चुनाव होता रहता है। ये जो वर्तमान सिस्टम है, ये उपयुक्त नहीं है। ये गवर्नेंस को बहुत नुकसान पहुंचाता है। इसे बदलने की जरूरत तो है ही, पर हम कैसे करेंगे, इस पर संवाद की जरूरत है। आपने ये भी पूछा कि क्या हमारे देश में ये संभव है। तो आप इतिहास में देख लीजिए कि जब संसाधन, टेक्नॉलजी कम थी तब भी हमारे देश में एक देश, एक चुनाव हो रहे थे। आजादी के बाद पहले के कुछ चुनाव इसी तरह हुए। उसके कुछ वर्ष बाद ही बदलाव हुए हैं। अब भी एक-दो राज्यो में लोकसभा के साथ राज्य विधानसभाओं के चुनाव हो रहे हैं। चुनाव आयोग एक चुनाव कराने के लिए पूरे देश में काम कर रहा है तो उसी में राज्यों का चुनाव भी कराया जा सकता है। इसमें कोई समस्या नहीं है, ये संभव है।   सवाल : गर्मी के कारण कम मतदान के चलते फिर से मांग उठी है कि इस मौसम में चुनाव नहीं होना चाहिए। क्या आप भी चुनाव के कैलेंडर में किसी तब्दीली के पक्षधर हैं? जवाब : गर्मी के कारण कुछ समस्याएं तो होती हैं। आप देख सकते हैं कि मैंने अपनी पार्टी में सभी उम्मीदवारों को और सामान्य लोगों को जो पत्र लिखा है, उसमें मैंने गर्मी का जिक्र किया है। पत्र में लिखा है कि गर्मियों में बहुत समस्या होती है, आप अपने आरोग्य का ख्याल रखें। फिर भी लोकतंत्र के लिए जो हमारा कर्तव्य है, हमें उसे निभाना चाहिए। मुझे पता है कि गर्मियों में क्या समस्या होती है। लेकिन इसमें क्या होना चाहिए, क्या बदलाव होना चाहिए, होना चाहिए या नहीं होना चाहिए, ये किसी एक व्यक्ति का, एक पार्टी का या सिर्फ सरकार का निर्णय नहीं हो सकता। पूरे सिस्टम, लोगों, मतदाता, राजनीतिक दलों, कार्यकर्ताओं की सहमति बननी चाहिए। जब एक सामूहिक राय बनेगी कि इसमें कुछ बदलाव लाना चाहिए या नहीं लाना चाहिए, तभी कुछ हो सकता है। सवाल : आखिरी चरण में पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश की 13 और बिहार की 8 सीटों पर चुनाव शेष है। आपने कहा है कि गरीबी और अभाव झेलने वाला पूर्वांचल दस साल से प्रधानमंत्री चुन रहा है। इसके लिए अभी बहुत कुछ किया जाना शेष है। वह बहुत कुछ क्या है, बताना चाहेंगे?

जवाब : देखिए, पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार के प्रति पिछली सरकारों का रवैया बहुत ही निराशाजनक रहा है। इन इलाकों से वोट लिए गए, अपनी राजनीतिक महत्वाकांक्षाएं पूरी की गयीं पर जब विकास की बारी आई तो इन्हें पिछड़ा कहकर छोड़ दिया गया। पूर्वांचल में बिजली, पानी, सड़क जैसी मूलभूत सुविधाओं के लिए लोगों को तरसाया गया। देश के 18000 गांवों में बिजली नहीं थी। इनमें पूर्वांचल और बिहार के बहुत से इलाके थे। जब मैंने बहनों-बेटियों की गरिमा के लिए टायलेट्स का निर्माण कराया तो बड़ी संख्या में उसका लाभ हमारे पूर्वांचल के लोगों को मिला। आज हम इसी इलाके में विकास की गंगा बहा रहे हैं। एक्सप्रेसवे से लेकर ग्रामीण सड़क तक हम इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर सुधार रहे हैं, बदल रहे हैं। हम हेल्थ इंफ्रा भी बना रहे हैं। आज पूर्वांचल और बिहार दोनों ही जगह पर एम्स है। इसके अलावा हम इन इलाकों में मेडिकल कॉलेज का नेटवर्क बना रहे हैं। हम पुराने इंफ्रा को अपग्रेड भी कर रहे हैं। अब हम यहां की स्थानीय अर्थव्यवस्था को भी बढ़ावा दे रहे हैं। हमें आगे बढ़ना है, लेकिन हमारा बहुत सारा समय, संसाधन और ऊर्जा पिछले 60-70 वर्षों के गड्ढों को भरने में खर्च हो रही है। हम इसके लिए लगातार तेजी से काम कर रहे हैं। मैं वो दिन लाना चाहता हूं, जब शिक्षा और रोजगार के लिए इन इलाकों के युवाओं को पलायन ना करना पड़े। उनका मन हो तो चाहे जहां जाएं पर उनके सामने किसी तरह की मजबूरी ना हो।    सवाल : गंगा निर्मलीकरण योजना के साथ ही वरुणा, असि और अन्य नदियों की सफाई की कितनी जरूरत मानते हैं आप?

जवाब : हमारे देश में नदियों की पूजा होती है। हमारी परंपराओं, संस्कारों में प्रकृति का महत्व स्थापित किया गया है। इसके बावजूद नदियों की साफ-सफाई को लेकर सरकार और समाज में उदासीनता बनी रही। ये बड़े दुर्भाग्य की बात है कि दशकों तक देश की सरकारों ने नदियों को एक डंपिंग ग्राउंड की तरह इस्तेमाल किया। नदियों की स्वच्छता को लेकर कोई जागरुकता अभियान चलाने का प्रयास नहीं हुआ। गंगा, वरुणा, असि समेत देश की सभी नदियों को स्वच्छ बनाने और उनकी सेहत को बेहतर करने के प्रयास जारी हैं। मैंने बहुत पहले नदियों के एक्वेटिक इकोसिस्टम को बदलने की जरूरत बताई थी। आज देश नदियों की स्वच्छता को लेकर गंभीर है। वाटर मैनेजमेंट, सीवेज मैनेजमेंट और नदियों का प्रदूषण कम करने के लिए लोग भी अपना योगदान देने को तैयार हैं। इस दिशा में जन भागीदारी से हमें अच्छे परिणाम मिलेंगे। सवाल : 2014 में जब आपके पास देश के अलग-अलग हिस्सों से चुनाव लड़ने के प्रस्ताव आ रहे थे, तब आपने काशी को क्यों चुना?

जवाब : मैं मानता हूं कि मैंने काशी को नहीं चुना, काशी ने मुझे चुना है। पहली बार वाराणसी से चुनाव लड़ने का जो निर्णय हुआ था, वो तो पार्टी ने तय किया था। मैंने पार्टी के एक सिपाही के तौर पर उसका पालन किया, लेकिन जब मैं काशी आया तो मुझे लगा कि इसमें नियति भी शामिल है। काशी उद्देश्यों को पूरा करने की भूमि है। अहिल्या बाई होल्कर ने बाबा का भव्य धाम बनाने का संकल्प पूरा करने के लिए काशी को चुना था। मोक्ष का तीर्थ बनाने के लिए महादेव ने काशी को चुना। इस नगरी में तुलसीदास राम का चरित लिखने का उद्देश्य लेकर पहुंचे। महामना यहां सर्वविद्या की राजधानी बनाने आए। शंकराचार्य ने काशी को शास्त्रार्थ के लिए चुना। इन सबकी तपस्या से प्रेरणा लेकर और इनके आशीर्वाद से काशी की सेवा के काम को आगे बढ़ा रहा हूं। मुझे काशी में जिस तरह की अनुभूति हुई, वो अभूतपूर्व है। इसी वजह से जब मैं यहां आया तो मैंने कहा कि मुझे मां गंगा ने बुलाया है, अब तो मैं ये भी कहता हूं कि मां गंगा ने मुझे गोद ले लिया है। वाराणसी में मुझे बहुत स्नेह मिला। काशीवासियों ने एक भाई, एक बेटे की तरह मुझे अपनाया है। शायद काशीवासियों को मुझमें उनके जैसे कुछ गुण दिखे हों। जो स्नेह और अपनापन मुझे यहां मिला है, उसे मैं विकास के रूप में लौटाना चाहता हूं और लौटा रहा हूं। दूसरी बात, काशी पूरे देश और दुनिया की सांस्कृतिक राजधानी है। हजारों सदियों से यहां पूरे भारत से लोग आते रहे हैं। यहां के लोगों का हृदय इतना विशाल है कि जो भी यहां आता है, लोग उसे अपना लेते हैं। काशी में ही आपको एक लघु भारत मिल जाएगा। देश के अलग-अलग क्षेत्रों से यहां आकर बसे लोग काशी को निखार रहे हैं, संवार रहे हैं। वो अभी भी अपनी जड़ों से जुडे़ हैं, लेकिन दिल से बनारसी बन गये हैं। कोई कहीं से भी आए, काशी के लोग उसे बनारसी बना देते हैं। काशी और काशीवासियों ने मुझे भी अपना लिया है।   सवाल : हरित काशी और इको फ्रेंडली काशी के लिए आपकी क्या सोच है?

जवाब :   जब काशी के पूरे वातावरण और पर्यावरण की चर्चा होती है तो उसमें गंगा नदी की स्वच्छता एक महत्वपूर्ण बिंदु होता है। आज गंगा मां कितनी निर्मल हैं, उसमें कितने जल जीवन फल-फूल रहे हैं, ये परिवर्तन सबको दिखने लगा है। गंगा की सेहत सुधर रही है ये बहुत महत्वपूर्ण आयाम है। हम गंगा एक्शन प्लान फेज-2 के तहत सीवर लाइन बिछाने का काम कर रहे हैं। इसके अलावा 3 सीवेज पंपिंग स्टेशनों और दीनापुर 140 एमएलजी के सीवर ट्रीटमेंट प्लांट का निर्माण हुआ है। पुरानी ट्रंक लाइन का जीर्णोद्धार किया जा रहा है। कोनिया पंपिंग स्टेशन, भगवानपुर एसटीपी, पांच घाटों का पुनर्रुद्धार किया गया है। ट्रांस वरुणा सीवेज योजना पर भी तेजी से काम चल रहा है। नमामि गंगे कार्यक्रम के तहत रमना में एसटीपी का निर्माण, रामनगर में इंटरसेप्शन, डायवर्जन और एसटीपी का निर्माण हुआ है। इस तरह की रिपोर्ट भी बहुत बार आ चुकी है कि गंगा में एक्वेटिक लाइफ सुधर रही है। गैंगटिक डॉल्फिन फिर से दिखनी शुरू हो गई हैं और उनकी संख्या बढ़ी है। इसका मतलब है कि मां गंगा साफ हो रही हैं। यहां पर सोलर पावर बोट्स देने का अभियान भी हम तेजी से चला रहे हैं। इससे पर्यावरण बेहतर होगा। हमारी सरकार ने प्रकृति के साथ प्रगति का मॉडल दुनिया के सामने रखा है। हम क्लीन एनर्जी पर काम कर हैं, हम कार्बन इमिशन को लेकर अपने लक्ष्यों से आगे हैं, हम सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक के खिलाफ काम कर रहे हैं। हमारी सरकार में देश में ग्रीन प्लांटेशन और वनों की संख्या बढ़ी है। काशी में भी हरियाली बढ़ाने के सभी प्रयास किए जा रहे हैं।   सवाल : काशी समेत पूरे पूर्वांचल के हेल्थ इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर को मजबूत करने के लिए क्या उपाय किए जा रहे हैं?

जवाब : आजादी के बाद पूर्वांचल को पिछड़ा बताकर सरकारों ने इससे पल्ला झाड़ लिया था। हेल्थ इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर पर कोई काम नहीं हुआ था। स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं को बदहाल बनाकर रखा गया था। यहां पर किसी को गंभीर समस्या होती थी तो लोग लखनऊ या दिल्ली भागते थे। हमने पूर्वांचल की स्वास्थ्य सुविधाओं को बेहतर बनाने पर जोर दिया। पिछले 10 साल में पूर्वांचल के हेल्थ इंफ्रा के लिए जितना काम हुआ है, उतना आजादी के बाद कभी नहीं हुआ। आज पूरे पूर्वांचल में दर्जनों मेडिकल कॉलेज हैं। जब मैं काशी आया तो मैंने देखा कि ये पूरे पूर्वांचल के लिए स्वास्थ्य का बड़ा हब बन सकता है। हमने काशी की क्षमताओं का विस्तार किया। आज बहुत से मरीज हैं जो पूरे यूपी, बिहार से काशी में आकर अपना इलाज करा रहे हैं। कैंसर के इलाज के लिए पहले यूपी के लोग दिल्ली, मुंबई भागते थे। आज वाराणसी में महामना पंडित मदन मोहन मालवीय कैंसर सेंटर है। लहरतारा में होमी भाभा कैंसर अस्पताल चल रहा है। बीएचयू में सुपर स्पेशियलिटी हॉस्पिटल है।

150 बेड का क्रिटिकल केयर यूनिट बन रहा है। पांडेयपुर में सुपर स्पेशियलिटी ईएसआईसी हॉस्पिटल सेवा दे रहा है। बीएचयू में अलग से 100 बेड वाला मैटरनिटी विंग बन गया है। इसके अलावा भदरासी में इंटीग्रेटेड आयुष हॉस्पिटल, सारनाथ में सीएचसी का निर्माण हुआ है। अन्य सीएचसी में बेड की संख्या और ऑक्सीजन सपोर्ट बेड की संख्या बढ़ाई गई है। कबीर चौरा में जिला महिला चिकित्सालय में नया मैटरनिटी विंग, बीएचयू में मानसिक बीमारियों के लिए मनोरोग अस्पताल बनाए गये हैं। नवजातों की देखभाल, मोतियाबिंद ऑपरेशन जैसे तमाम काम किए जा रहे हैं। हमारी कोशिश है कि एक होलिस्टिक सोच से हम लोगों को बीमारियों से बचा सकें और अगर उनको बीमारियां हों तो उनका खर्च कम से कम हो। इसी सोच के तहत यहां वाराणसी में करीब 10 लाख लोगों को आयुष्मान कार्ड बनाकर दिए जा रहे हैं। इस कार्यकाल में हम 70 साल से ऊपर से सभी बुजुर्गों को आयुष्मान भारत के सुरक्षा घेरे में लाने जा रहे हैं, जिससे हर साल 5 लाख रुपए तक मुफ्त इलाज हो सकेगा। पहले अच्छी स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं को लग्जरी बनाकर रख दिया गया था। हम स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं को सुलभ, सस्ता और गरीबों की पहुंच में लाना चाहते हैं। स्वास्थ्य सेवाएं सुलभ हों, इसके लिए हम ज्यादा से ज्यादा संस्थान बना रहे हैं। वर्तमान संस्थानों की क्षमता बढ़ा रहे हैं। इसके साथ जन औषधि केंद्र से लोगों को सस्ती दवाएं मिलने लगी हैं। हमारी सरकार ने ऑपरेशन के उपकरण सस्ते किए हैं। हम आयुष को बढ़ावा दे रहे हैं, ताकि स्वास्थ्य सेवाएं हर व्यक्ति की पहुंच में हों। सवाल : पहली बार शहर के प्रमुख और प्रबुद्ध जनों को आपने पत्र लिखा है। वे इस पत्र को लेकर आम लोगों तक जा रहे हैं। इस पत्र का उद्देश्य और लक्ष्य क्या है? जवाब : काशी के सांसद के तौर पर मेरा ये प्रयास रहता है कि बनारस में समाज के हर वर्ग की पहुंच मुझ तक हो और मैं उनके प्रति जबावदेह रहूं। ये आज की बात नहीं है, मैंने पहले भी इस तरह के प्रयास किए हैं। लोगों से जुड़ने के लिए मैंने सम्मेलनों का आयोजन किया है। 2022 में मैंने प्रबुद्ध वर्ग सम्मेलन किया, उससे पहले भी मैं काशी के विद्वानों और प्रबुद्ध लोगों से मिला हूं। मैंने महिला सम्मेलन किया है, मैं बुनकरों से मिला हूं। मैंने बच्चों से मुलाकात की। गोपालकों, स्वयं सहायता समूह की बहनों से भी मिल चुका हूं। मैं हर समय कोशिश करता हूं कि वाराणसी में समाज के हर वर्ग के लोगों से जुड़ सकूं। आज आप जिस पत्र की बात कर रहे हैं वो वाराणसी के लोगों से जुड़ने का, संवाद का ऐसा ही एक प्रयास है। दूसरा, ये लोकतांत्रिक प्रक्रिया में बहुत जरूरी है कि समाज के प्रमुख और प्रबुद्ध लोगों के माध्यम से जन-जन तक लोकतंत्र में भागीदारी का संदेश पहुंचे। काशी के विकास के संबंध में संदेश जाए। जब ऐसा संदेश जाता है कि काशी के विकास के लिए वोट करना है, तो इससे लोकतंत्र समृद्ध होता है। इससे लोग मतदान के प्रति, संवैधानिक व्यवस्था के प्रति अपनी जिम्मेदारी महसूस करते हैं।

Following is the clipping of the interview:

Source: Hindustan

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PM addresses Post Budget Webinar on ‘Developing Tourism in Mission Mode’

“These webinars work as a catalyst in achieving the goals set during the budget”

“We will have to think out of the box and plan ahead to achieve new heights in tourism”

“Tourism is not a high fancy word representing the rich”

“This year’s Budget focuses on the holistic development of the destinations”

“Increase in the facilities has led to a manifold increase in the arrival of devotees at Kashi Vishwanath, Kedar Dham, Pavagadh”

“Every tourist destination can develop its own revenue model”

“Our villages are becoming centers of tourism due to their improving infrastructure”

“8 lakh foreign tourists have come to India in January this year compared to only 2 lakhs in January last year”

“India has a lot to offer to high-spending tourists also”

“Tourism has the same potential in the country as agriculture, real estate development, infrastructure and textile”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed a Post Budget Webinar on the subject of ‘Developing Tourism in Mission Mode’. It is the seventh of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for effectively implementing the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that the new India of today is moving forward with a new work culture. He expressed delight at the appreciation shown towards this year’s Budget by the people of India. Reflecting on the previous work culture, the Prime Minister said that something as innovative as the post-budget webinars would not have existed if not for the present government’s spirit of discussions with all the stakeholders before and after the budget. The Prime Minister underlined that the main objective of these webinars is to maximize the output of the budget as well as its timely implementation. “These webinars work as a catalyst in achieving the goals set during the budget”, Shri Modi said. Speaking from the experience of working as the head of the government for more than 20 years, the Prime Minister emphasized that the desired results are achieved within the stipulated time when all stakeholders align themselves with any strategic decisions taken by the government. He expressed happiness at the suggestions received through the post-budget webinars that have been conducted so far.

The Prime Minister underlined the need to think out of the box and plan ahead to take tourism in India to new heights. Throwing light on the parameters before a tourist destination is developed, the Prime Minister listed out the potential of the place, ease of travelling to the destination, and new ways to promote the destination. He further added that emphasizing these parameters helps in preparing a roadmap for the future. The Prime Minister highlighted the huge scope of tourism in the country and listed out coastal tourism, beach tourism, mangrove tourism, Himalayan tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism, eco-tourism, heritage tourism, spiritual tourism, wedding destinations, tourism via conferences and sports tourism. He also gave the example of Ramayan Circuit, Buddha Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Northeast Circuit, Gandhi Circuit, and pilgrimages of all saints, and stressed the need to work together collectively on this. The Prime Minister informed that several places in India have been identified through the route of competitive spirit and challenge in this year’s Budget while also focussing on the holistic development of the destinations. Shri Modi asked for a detailed discussion on how different stakeholders can be engaged.

The Prime Minister busted the myth that tourism is a fancy word associated only with the high-income groups of the country. He noted that yatras have been a part of India’s cultural and social life for centuries and people used to go on pilgrimages even when there were no resources available to them. He gave the example of Char Dham Yatra, Dwadash Jyotirling Yatra, 51 Shaktipeeth Yatra and said that it is used to connect the places of our faith while also strengthening the unity of the country. Observing that the entire economy of many big cities of the country was dependent on these yatras, the Prime Minister lamented the lack of development to enhance facilities suited to the times despite the age-old tradition of yatras. He pointed out that  hundreds of years of slavery and the political neglect of these places in the decades after independence were the root cause that inflicted damage to the country. “The India of today is changing this situation”, the Prime Minister interjected as he noted that the increase in the facilities leads to an increase in the attraction among the tourists. He gave the example of Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi and informed that around 80 lakh people used to visit the temple in a year before it was rebuilt, but the tourist footfall crossed 7 crores last year after the renovation. He also informed that 15 lakh devotees have gone to see Baba Kedar compared to only 4-5 lakhs before the completion of reconstruction work in Kedarghati. Similarly in Pavagadh of Gujarat, the Prime Minister informed that 80 thousand pilgrims go for the darshan of Maa Kalika compared to only 4 to 5 thousand people before the renovation. The Prime Minister noted that the increase in facilities has a direct impact on the number of tourists and the increasing numbers mean more opportunities for employment and self-employment. The Prime Minister also touched upon the Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world and informed that 27 lakh tourists visited the place within a year of its completion. He underlined that India’s tourism sector can increase manifold with growing civic amenities, good digital connectivity, good hotels and hospitals, no trace of filth, and excellent infrastructure.

The Prime Minister also mentioned the Kankaria lake project in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and informed that skill development for those working in the food stalls was carried out apart from the redevelopment of the lake. He emphasized on cleanliness along with modern infrastructure and informed that about 10,000 people visit the place every day despite the applicable entry fees. “Every tourist destination can also develop its own revenue model”, the Prime Minister said.

“Our villages are becoming centers of tourism”, the Prime Minister remarked as he underlined that remote villages are now coming up on the tourism map due to their improving infrastructure. He informed that the Central Government has started the Vibrant Village Scheme for the villages situated along the border and emphasized the need to support businesses such as homestays, small hotels and restaurants.

Throwing the spotlight on the increasing number of foreign tourists in India, the Prime Minister noted the growing attraction towards India and informed that 8 lakh foreign tourists have come to India in January this year compared to only 2 lakhs in January last year. The Prime Minister also underlined the need to profile such tourists and create a special strategy to attract them to the country who have the maximum spending capacity. He informed that foreign tourists who come to India spend an average of $1700, while international travelers spend an average of $2500 in America and around $5000 in Australia. “India has a lot to offer to high-spending tourists”, he pointed out.  The Prime Minister stressed that every state needs to change its tourism policy to align with this thought. He gave the example of bird watchers who camp in the country for months and underlined that policies should be made to target such potential tourists.

Highlighting the basic challenge of the tourism sector, the Prime Minister pointed out the lack of professional tourist guides here and stressed the need for certificate courses in local colleges for guides. He suggested that guides working in a particular tourist destination should also have a specific dress or uniform so that tourists will come to know at first glance. The Prime Minister noted that a tourist’s mind is full of questions and guides can help them find answers to all those questions.

The Prime Minister also stressed promoting school and college trips to the northeast so that more people become aware and start developing infrastructure and facilities for tourists. He also emphasized promoting wedding destinations as well as sports destinations. The Prime Minister insisted on developing 50 such tourist destinations that every tourist from around the globe is bound to visit on his trip to India. He also mentioned developing apps for tourist destinations in all languages listed in the United Nations.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that this webinar will seriously consider every aspect related to tourism and come up with better solutions. “Tourism has the same potential in the country as agriculture, real estate development, infrastructure and textile”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Speaking at a post-budget webinar on boosting India's tourism potential. https://t.co/0LHwqWLDe2 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 3, 2023

भारत में हमें टूरिज्म सेक्टर को नई ऊंचाई देने के लिए Out of the Box सोचना होगा और Long Term Planning करके चलना होगा। pic.twitter.com/Mwp8UG6RML — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 3, 2023

भारत के संदर्भ में देखें तो टूरिज्म का दायरा बहुत बड़ा है। pic.twitter.com/5KqMErKjfa — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 3, 2023

जब यात्रियों के लिए सुविधाएं बढ़ती हैं, तो कैसे यात्रियों में आकर्षण बढ़ता है, उनकी संख्या में भारी वृद्धि होती है, ये भी हम देश में देख रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/ZQ8GEhsEDv — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 3, 2023

बेहतर होते इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के कारण हमारे दूर-सुदूर के गांव, अब टूरिज्म मैप पर आ रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/cAecutjVEJ — PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 3, 2023

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"Guest Is God": PM Modi On India's Approach To Tourism

The Prime Minister, who addressed G20 Tourism Ministers' meet in Goa via video message, urged the dignitaries to take some time and explore the beauty of Goa.

"The diversity of India is truly majestic," said PM Modi.

India's approach to the tourism sector is based on the ancient Sanskrit verse 'Atithi Devo Bhavah', meaning 'Guest is God', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday and noted that the country's diversity is truly majestic and has something for everyone.

He invoked the spirit of Incredible India and said that the tourism ministers rarely get a chance to be tourists themselves even though they are handling a sector worth over two trillion dollars globally.

The concluding and last G20 Tourism Working Group meeting along with the Tourism Ministerial Meeting is being held from June 19 to 22 in Goa.

PM Modi emphasized that tourism is not just about sightseeing but an immersive experience.

"Be it music or food, arts or culture, the diversity of India is truly majestic," he told the gathering.

"From the high Himalayas to dense forests, dry deserts to beautiful beaches, adventure sports to meditation retreats, India has something for everyone," he said.

During its G20 presidency, India is organizing nearly 200 meetings in 100 different locations across the length and breadth of the country.

"If you ask your friends who have already visited India for these meetings, I am sure that no two experiences will be alike," the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi said India's efforts in the tourism sector are centred on preserving its rich heritage while creating a world-class infrastructure for tourism.

"From transport infrastructure to the hospitality sector to skill development, and even in our visa systems, we have kept the tourism sector as a focal point of our reforms."

Referring to the General Elections to be held next year, PM Modi urged the dignitaries to witness the festival of democracy in the mother of democracy India -- where nearly a billion voters will be taking part for over a month re-affirming their abiding faith in democratic values.

"With more than a million voting booths, there will be no shortage of places for you to witness this festival in all its diversity," he said and extended an invitation to visit India during the festival of democracy.

Noting that India attracts pilgrims of every major religion of the world, the Prime Minister emphasized the development of spiritual tourism as one of the focus areas.

He informed that the infrastructure upgrade in the eternal city of Varanasi, one of the major spiritual centers, led to a ten-fold increase in pilgrims taking the number to 70 million today.

He also underlined that India is creating new tourist attractions and gave the example of the Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world, which attracted about 2.7 million tourists within a year of its inauguration.

In the last nine years, the Prime Minister said the government has placed special emphasis on developing the entire ecosystem of tourism in the country.

He highlighted that the hospitality sector has great potential for employment generation, social inclusion and economic progress while employing more women and youth compared to the other sectors. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that India is also recognizing the relevance of the tourism sector for the speedy achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The Prime Minister highlighted that the five inter-connected priority areas of green tourism, digitalization, skill development, tourism MSMEs and destination management reflect the priorities of India as well as the Global South.

He suggested greater use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality to drive innovation and highlighted that India is working towards artificial intelligence enabling real-time translation of various languages spoken in the country.

He expressed confidence that collaboration among governments, entrepreneurs, investors and academia can accelerate such technological implementation in the tourism sector. The Prime Minister also suggested working together to ease business regulations for tourism companies and assist them in increasing their access to finances and investing in skill development.

"Terrorism divides but Tourism unites", the Prime Minister remarked.

He said that tourism has the potential to unite people from all walks of life thereby creating a harmonious society.

Pm Modi expressed happiness that a G20 Tourism dashboard is being developed in partnership with UNWTO which will be a first-of-its-kind platform bringing together best practices, case studies and inspiring stories.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the deliberations and the 'Goa Roadmap' would multiply the collective efforts to realize tourism's transformative power.

The Prime Minister highlighted the upcoming Sao Joao Festival in Goa and noted that India is a land of festivals.

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"The motto of India's G20 Presidency 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' can itself be a motto for global tourism," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India and Maldives Trade Barbs After Modi’s Beach Visit

Some in the Maldives were critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to nearby Indian islands to promote tourism, seeing it as an attempt to draw visitors away from their nation.

By Alex Travelli

Reporting from New Delhi

It started with a postcard-perfect snapshot. An image of India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi , lounging in a chair on a secluded white-sand beach, provoked heated words from officials in the Maldives, a tiny archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean.

Indians on social media reacted with a ferocious wave of indignation, causing ripples all the way to Beijing.

Mr. Modi had been posing for a series of pictures to highlight the beachy natural beauty of the islands called Lakshadweep, an Indian territory 150 miles from the mainland and just 100 miles north of the Maldives.

Lakshadweep is like a mini Maldives, with barely a tenth of the landmass of the more famous atolls to its south. The people on Minicoy, its southernmost island, speak the same language as they do in the Maldives, and preserve some of its oldest customs.

But in Mr. Modi’s seemingly harmless words of praise — morning walks on the beach were “moments of pure bliss” — the Maldives heard a threat. Its about a half-million people are sensitive to feeling pushed around by India, with its population of 1.4 billion.

“What a clown,” Mariyam Shiuna, a deputy minister in the Maldives’ government, wrote on the social media platform X. She accused Mr. Modi of being a “puppet of Israel” and of wearing a lifejacket while pretending to scuba dive. The post was later deleted.

In fact Mr. Modi had been snorkeling — a lifejacket-compatible activity. But he is in fact friendlier with the Israeli government than is popular in the Muslim-majority islands. Other Maldivians used their social media posts to insult Indian tourists and India generally.

The backlash was swift, and by some accounts apparently coordinated. A barrage of posts by high-profile Indians, including government officials and Bollywood stars, blasted simultaneous outrage at the Maldivians. These posts were illustrated with travel-brochure-like images of Lakshadweep, making the competition explicit. (Many of these photographs were actually shot in the Maldives, though.)

On Monday, push came to shove. An Indian travel portal, EaseMyTrip, joined the Indian celebrities in boycotting travel bookings to the Maldives. The Maldivian government finally cried uncle. Ms. Shiuna was suspended from office, along with two other ministers who had joined her in remarks seen as offending India.

Since the 1970s, the Maldives has become one of the global jet set’s preferred resort destinations, earning $3 billion in tourism revenues in 2019, worth about a quarter of its national economy. After coronavirus pandemic-related lockdowns took effect, when outbound Chinese tourism stopped in its tracks, India became the Maldives’ biggest source of high-spending visitors.

India had always kept tinier Lakshadweep under wraps. Until recently its islands saw only 10,000 visitors a year, nearly all of them Indian. In 2021, Mr. Modi’s government indicated that it saw great untapped potential there. If Lakshadweep’s coral-shaped lagoons can be sold to the world as an alternative to the Maldives, they would strike at the small country’s economic lifeblood.

Just as the war of words with India hit fever pitch, with some Indian celebrities swearing they would restrict their luxury vacations to India’s own shores, the Maldives’ new president, Mohamed Muizzu, was starting a five-day state visit in China. His trip was planned much earlier, but rivalries with India were already on the agenda.

The Maldives, like several other countries around South Asia, has for years bobbed along the surface of a great-power competition between India and China. Successive governments have been more pro-China, like Abdulla Yameen’s, from 2013 to 2018, or pro-India, like the one led by Ibrahim Mohamed Solih until November. Mr. Muizzu, who defeated him in the polls, had campaigned on a platform of “India Out.”

Mr. Muizzu had already broken with tradition by skipping visiting India and spending his first state visit in Turkey. So it was little surprise that he chose China for his second state visit. His government also intends to eject the 80 or so Indian military personnel who operate aircraft based in the Maldives.

But Mr. Muizzu’s country and India might want to be careful about escalating the tension further. India has major infrastructure projects underway in the Maldives, which neither side wants to cancel. In suspending Ms. Shiuna and her colleagues, Mr. Muizzu sent a message.

India, for its part, does not want to erode its influence among its smaller neighbors. In the Himalayas, Nepal and Bhutan have made unusually open gestures toward China recently. The importance of keeping allies in its rivalry with China is one reason India has doubled down on its close relationship with Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, who is this week claiming her fourth consecutive term in power .

Maahil Mohamed contributed reporting from Malé, Maldives.

Alex Travelli is a correspondent for The Times based in New Delhi, covering business and economic matters in India and the rest of South Asia. He previously worked as an editor and correspondent for The Economist. More about Alex Travelli

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Bookmark these destinations from PM Modi’s travel diaries for your next travel

TRAVEL NEWS , INDIA Updated : Jan 11, 2024, 15:06 IST

PM Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep has stirred excitement in the travel industry. Suddenly, Lakshadweep finds itself at the centre of attention now for varied reasons, and will also likely see a huge number of tourists in the coming months. Likewise, if you are also planning a visit to Lakshadweep, don’t stop there, as we bring to you a list of other places in India that have earned a spot in PM Modi’s travel diaries.

Kedarnath, where PM Modi meditated

Kedarnath is part of Char Dham that lures travellers in large numbers from across the country. The temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, holds deep religious significance and is a revered pilgrimage destination in Uttarakhand, India. And when PM Modi visited this place, the cave where he meditated saw a sudden surge of bookings, and remained pre-booked for most of the time.

Gangtok, where the Prime Minister visited for a peaceful getaway

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, is one of India's most picturesque cities, and offers breathtaking vistas of the renowned Mount Kanchenjunga. During a previous visit by Narendra Modi, he shared a serene image capturing a tranquil moment of enjoying morning tea and reading a newspaper against the backdrop of this scenic city.

Golden Temple, where Modi visited for a darshan

Religious sites do hold a special allure for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he manages to take moments from his hectic schedule to visit these sacred places. An illustrative example is his visits to Punjab, where PM Modi seized the opportunity to pay respects at Sri Harmandir Sahib, commonly known as the Golden Temple.

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Tirumala, where he had incredible experience

In the recent past, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the renowned Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple situated in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. Notably, this temple ranks among the world's wealthiest in terms of donations received. During his pilgrimage, PM Modi expressed having an extraordinary experience and commended the temple authorities for their efficient management. He shared in his story that he visited this sacred site to offer prayers for the good health, well-being, and prosperity of the 1.4 billion citizens of India.

Pithoragarh's Parvati Kund, where PM Modi set major travel goals

In October 2023, Prime Minister Modi set on an official journey to Uttarakhand, where he visited Parvati Kund and Jageshwar Dham to offer prayers. Sharing a captivating series of pictures, he highlighted the enchanting panorama of Adi Kailash that left everyone in awe. Demonstrating his deep reverence, PM Modi not only adorned traditional attire but also devoted time to meditation at this sacred site.

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PM Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep has stirred excitement in the travel industry. Suddenly, Lakshadweep finds itself at the centre of attention now for varied reasons, and will also likely see a hu...

PM to address post-Budget Webinar On “Developing Tourism In Mission Mode” on 3rd March, 2023

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will address the post-budget webinar on ‘Developing Tourism in Mission Mode’ on 3 rd March, 2023 at 10 AM via video conferencing. It is a part of a series of 12 post-budget webinars being organized by the Government to seek ideas and suggestions for effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget.

The Union Budget has stated that promotion of tourism will be taken up in mission mode, with active participation of states, convergence of government programmes and public-private partnerships. At least 50 destinations will be selected through challenge mode and developed as a complete package of tourism. Sector specific skilling and entrepreneurship development will be dovetailed to achieve the objectives of the Dekho Apna Desh. 

The Post-Budget webinar being organized by the Ministry of Tourism  will have six breakout sessions covering the priority areas identified in the Union Budget. Besides Ministers and Secretaries of the concerned Central Government Ministries, a host of stakeholders drawn from travel and industry sector, representatives from Department of Tourism, students, leading industrialists, educational institutions under the Ministry of Tourism, bodies like FICCI and CII as well as heads of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Associations would attend these sessions and contribute through their suggestions and ideas for better implementation of budgetary announcements for the tourism sector.

The themes of the breakout sessions are Destination Centric Approach for Tourism Development, Convergence – The Power of Collaboration, Strengthening Public Private Participation in Tourism Sector, Driving Innovation and Digitalization in Tourism Sector, Impacting lives at grass root level through Tourism and Cultural Heritage for Promotion of Tourism.

The webinar will be live streamed and the event can be watched at : https://youtube.com/live/cOYm5okQjp0?feature=share

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to mark the end of a hectic Lok Sabha election campaign by meditating for two days at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. He has chosen Kanyakumari’s iconic Vivekananda Rock Memorial to undertake his spiritual reflections from 30 May to 1 June, after the final phase of polling.

Swami Vivekananda, a spiritual figure Modi greatly admires, is believed to have had a divine vision of Bharat Mata and a developed India at the Rock Memorial’s Dhyana Mandapam. That Modi has chosen this spot for his meditation this year is no fluke.

Inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s vision, the PM Modi-led government incorporated the idea of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) in its vision document, which became the key theme of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election campaign for the 2024 polls.

But even beyond this, the choice of the meditation spot in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu carries political meaning.

Earlier this week, for instance, Prime Minister Modi strategically invoked Vivekananda to bolster his Hindu constituency in Bengal. He has also consistently criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly neglecting Vivekananda’s legacy to appease her Muslim constituency in recent weeks.

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author of the biography Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times, said that the PM is sending a wider message to voters too.

“The Prime Minister uses symbolism for his electoral benefit. Vivekananda is not only revered in Bengal, but across India as a Hindu cultural icon. By meditating at the Vivekananda memorial, Modi wants to consolidate his Hindu majoritarian vote bank,” Mukhopadhyay said. “For today’s young generation, Swami may not hold much significance, but Hindutva does.”

Also Read: ‘To end voter fatigue & disinterest, energise cadre’ — why BJP has returned to ‘Hindu-Muslim’ rhetoric

Modi, Bengal & Vivekananda

The Prime Minister’s visit to West Bengal earlier this week came just ahead of the polling due to take place Saturday in Kolkata and South 24 Parganas. Winning these seats is crucial for the BJP’s target of securing 30 out of West Bengal’s 42 seats.

During his visit, Modi offered prayers at Sri Sri Sarada Mayer Bari, a temple built in commemoration of Sarada Devi, a revered 19th-century Bengali spiritual figure, who played an important role in the Ramakrishna movement founded by Vivekananda. He is said to have sought Sarada Devi’s blessing before attending the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Modi’s roadshow in Kolkata Tuesday ended at Vivekananda’s ancestral home as supporters chanted “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram”.

Throughout his visit, Modi invoked Vivekananda’s legacy— a loud and clear message in the wake of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks about a section of monks of the Ramakrishna Mission and other socio-religious organisations “working under the influence of BJP leaders in Delhi”.

Previously, too, the PM has taken potshots at Mamata for “insulting” Vivekananda by accusing Ramakrishna Mission monks of BJP of working in the BJP’s interests. Modi had claimed that Banerjee had done so to please the Trinamool Congress’s “Muslim vote bank”.

In an interview to ABP News, Modi said Tuesday that the Ramakrishna Mission held a special place in his life and that Vivekananda’s teachings had deeply inspired him during the early stages of his life.

“Bengal has played a crucial role in shaping my life. When I left home, I didn’t have anything on my mind, except Bengal, Ramkrishna Mission, and Vivekananda ji. Swami Asmathananda ji maharaj was my guide, who helped me. This was the entry point of my new life. The best part was he didn’t care if I was a PM or CM. He would call me Narendra,” PM Modi recalled.

“Swami Vivekananda was one of the most articulate modern India swamis, who had a vision for India. His roots were in Bengal, but he is still revered across the country,” a central BJP leader said. “But the insult to him by Mamata Banerjee has become an issue for Hindu worshippers in Bengal. One leader is working day and night to fulfill Vivekananda’s dream of a developed India. TMC, on the other hand, has not just abused Modi, but did not leave even Vivekananda.”

Of the nine seats in West Bengal that go to polls on 1 June, BJP could not win any in the last elections. But, with the references to Vivekananda, the party hopes to galvanise the Hindu voters in these constituencies in its favour.

In 2019, the BJP secured the second position in two seats — Dum Dum, where it garnered 38.1 percent of the votes compared to TMC’s 42.5 percent, and Barasat, where TMC received 46.5 percent of the votes and the BJP 38.6 percent. TMC has fielded its sitting MPs Sougata Roy and Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar from these constituencies again.

The BJP had also lost Kolkata Uttar, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Joynagar, and Mathurapur to TMC, securing the second position.

PM’s Viksit Bharat pitch

Aside from West Bengal, Modi’s meditation plan is also seen as a message to the Hindu community in other states about his status as not just a political leader, but a spiritual one.

“PM Modi is independent India’s first philosopher, a Raj Rishi who is undertaking a spiritual quest in the footsteps of Swami Vivekananda,” said BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan, grandson of ‘Rajaji’ C. Rajagopalachari.

Kesaavan also drew parallels between Modi and Vivekananda.

“During his travels across Bharat, Swami Vivekananda saw our country’s poverty, ignorance, and utter loss of self-confidence under the rule of foreigners and the British. Indians had forgotten their own identity, individuality, and dharma,” Kesavan said. “He travelled across Bharat, and finally came to Kanyakumari seeking a spiritual answer to stir our countrymen from this stupor and unlock their potential.”

Kesavan added that the PM, in the last 10 years, had worked towards the country’s civilisational and “dharmic renewal and resurgence”.

About Modi’s Kanyakumari trip, he said it was “most befitting” that the PM is seeking inspiration from the same spot where Vivekananda found enlightenment.

“This will give him the spiritual strength and blessings of our people, as he gets ready to begin his third term, to lay the foundation for a Viksit Bharat marked by Bharat’s civilisational renaissance,” Kesavan said.

Author and biographer Hindol Sengupta, who has also written about Modi, told ThePrint that the PM views nation-building as deeply intertwined with spiritual elements.

“Modi sees his work for uplifting India as not solely through better infrastructure and greater welfare, but also through a certain evolution of the Indian self towards a higher purpose. In this process, Modi undergoes a transformation from politician to a guru,” Sengupta said. “This meditation break can be compared to Mahatma Gandhi’s time at ashrams and spinning the charkha.”

In the last 10 years, Prime Minister Modi has referred to the philosophy of Vivekananda on several occasions. He has often claimed to have incorporated elements from Vivekananda’s ideas on spiritual nationalism, among others, into many government campaigns and programmes, such as the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat scheme.

While addressing Vivekananda’s birth anniversary celebrations in 2023, Modi had said: “Our govt philosophy is inspired by Vivekananda today. You can see his vision in our flagship schemes.”

A senior BJP leader said that the PM starting his campaign from Tamil Nadu and then capping it off with a spiritual sojourn is a multi-layered message.

“This has its own significance for political reasons, but the political animosity that was brewing in the last few months will take a back seat,” the leader said. “Using Vivekananda’s philosophy, he wants to send out a message about his resolve for building Viksit Bharat to his electorate in the last leg of polls.”

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)

Also Read: TV news did during 2024 election what it has been doing for 10 years—be on Modi’s corner

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PM Modi away, Amit Shah, senior BJP leaders hold fort in Varanasi: ‘Koi fight hi nahi hai’

A s the curtains came down on the Lok Sabha election campaign and Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his 45-hour meditation retreat at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, the one place missing from his itinerary in the final days leading up to polling on June 1 was his constituency Varanasi.

The PM left the responsibility of supervising the election in Varanasi to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, his second-in-command who in the past couple of days held meetings with senior leaders Union Ministers Piyush Goel and Giriraj Singh, and BJP national general secretary Sunil Bansal. The three, along with a team of key BJP and RSS functionaries, have been managing the party’s affairs in the run-up to voting.

Among the others who held a meeting with Shah were BJP ally and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar and former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Narad Rai, who joined the BJP on Tuesday. Sources in the BJP said Shah assigned tasks to his senior party colleagues, Rajbhar, and Rai who is from the Bhumihar community. Of the 19.62 lakh voters in Varanasi, there are more than 1.5 lakh Bhumihar and about 70,000 Rajbhar voters.

In the past few days, the BJP has mobilised workers from different states and districts of Uttar Pradesh to help with the campaign. Party workers from Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan are making rounds of areas where Tamils, Telugu people and people from Rajasthan live. At the party’s massive central election office in Varanasi’s Mehmoorganj locality, there was an air of calm and confidence. Apart from the out-of-state workers being assigned their duties, five local BJP office-bearers sat in a corner of a big hall, a register and heaps of saffron scarves lying in front of them.

“ Hum log kayde se campaign hi nahin kar rahe hain, koi fight hi nahi hai. Bas jeet ka margin badhana hai (We are not properly campaigning since there is no fight. The only task is to increase the victory margin),” BJP city president Vidyasagar Rai told The Indian Express.

At the BJP’s poll office in Varanasi’s Rohaniya Assembly segment, the party’s district president Hansraj Vishwakarma said while Shah arrived in Varanasi on Tuesday afternoon, Goel and Giriraj had been camping in the constituency for a longer time.

Referring to the senior ministers’ presence in the constituency, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav who addressed a rally with Rahul Gandhi in Varanasi on Tuesday advised the INDIA alliance’s supporters to remain alert and not get trapped in the senior BJP leaders’ “poll management”.

Facing Modi is UP Congress president Ajay Rai. In Varanasi’s Lahurabir area, the Congress’s central election office wore a deserted look earlier this week. When asked where everyone was, a party worker said Rai was busy preparing for the Akhilesh-Rahul rally — it was scheduled for the following day — and would address a public meeting at the DLW (Diesel Locomotive Workshop, now known as Banaras Locomotive Workshop) west gate. But the Congress leader failed to turn up and instead deputed local leaders Sanjay Rajbhar Santosh Maurya and Abdul Jabbar to address the workshop's employees after their shift was over.

“We may not win but may reduce the margin of BJP victory and that will also not be less than a defeat for Modi,” Rajbhar told The Indian Express. In 2019, Modi defeated the SP’s Shalini Yadav by 4.79 lakh votes while Rai came third.

Jabbar, meanwhile, sounds more hopeful. He said the Congress was expecting a sizable chunk of around 3.5 lakh Muslim votes and 1 lakh Yadav votes, and was hoping to dent the BJP’s Bhumihar base since Rai is from the community. There is also a considerable number of Patels in the Rohaniya and Sewapuri segments, with an estimated 2.5 lakh voters overall. Jabbar also said the Congress would receive the support of Dalits, with the community having an estimated 1.5 lakh voters.

Vidyasagar Rai, however, dismissed the Congress leader’s caste calculations and claimed that the party had a loyal vote bank of Brahmins (about 3 lakh voters) and Thakurs (about 1 lakh), and added that Bhumihars would not choose Rai over Modi. He also claimed the support of Baniyas (1.5 lakh voters), Patels, Dalits, and people from outside the state who have now settled in Varanasi, saying their number is not less than 1 lakh.

A senior BJP leader said the vote shares of the SP, Congress, and BJP in 2014 and 2019 showed that the Opposition alliance would not make any difference.

Tale of two industries

The complexity of Varanasi is captured in the contrasting fortunes of two of its major industries: power loom and tourism.

Apart from the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Varanasi is known for Banarasi silk sarees. The district has more than one lakh manufacturers, traders, and dealers from the weaver community, with almost 60% of them Muslims. At the Madanpura saree mandi in the heart of the city, Asif, a trader, said the saree trade would die a slow death if some of the current GST policies were not relaxed. He said traders like him and weavers were in a bad state and that weavers were unlikely to support the BJP. At Lohta mandi, power-loom owner Pradeep Gupta said his family supported the BJP but this long association would be over if the current situation continued.

In contrast, those dependent on tourism are happy with the state of affairs, saying the footfall of visitors has increased manifold in the last seven years. Shopkeepers, autorickshaw drivers, tourist guides, and priests in and around Kashi Vishwanath and at various ghats are full of praise for Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the large-scale makeover and development of pilgrimage sites.

Around 20 km from Varanasi, in the city of Sarnath known for its Buddhist stupas and temples, Prem Shanker, a private guide accompanying a group from Mumbai, said, “This is not tourist season in Sarnath. But, tourists keep visiting Varanasi around the year after big developments and they all come to Sarnath as well. We are dependent on this income, which is growing day by day. Therefore, no question arises of not supporting the BJP.”

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Modi heads for two days of island meditation as indian election nears end.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his way to meditate inside an island shrine for two days to cap weeks of election campaigning – his latest public display of religiosity days after proclaiming he was sent by god .

India’s election is the world’s largest, a mammoth exercise in democracy that has taken place over six weeks. The final day of voting takes place on Saturday and results will be announced three days later.

Modi will visit the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, a pilgrimage site off India’s southernmost tip, from May 30 to June 1, according to Indian state broadcaster DD News.

The site is where popular Hindu monk and philosopher Swami Vivekananda attained enlightenment.

Modi has twice before ended an election campaign with meditation. But he has recently been making increasingly grand displays of piety, to capitalize on Hindu-nationalist sentiment as he eyes a third consecutive five-year term in power.

In an interview last week with local news channel NDTV, Modi said: “I’m convinced that God has sent me for a purpose, and when that purpose is finished, my work will be done.”

“God doesn’t reveal his cards. He just keeps making me do things,” he continued.

India is constitutionally bound to secularism, but since assuming power in 2014 Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have promoted a strident brand of Hindu nationalism that has deepened religious divides.

When he first contested national elections a decade ago, Modi chose India’s spiritual capital Varanasi as his constituency, making the ancient city the perfect backdrop to meld his religious and political ambitions.

At the end of that campaign, Modi visited Pratapgad in the western state of Maharashtra, where the Hindu-led Maratha forces won a historic battle against the Mughal empire army in the 17th century.

Toward the end of the 2019 national elections, which he also won, Modi went to meditate in the revered Kedarnath shrine dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Shiva high in the Himalayas.

In January, just months before campaigning began, Modi consecrated the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya , a controversial Hindu temple that was built on the site of a destroyed mosque, taking on a role typically reserved for priests.

In a country where about 80% of the population are followers of the polytheistic faith, critics say Modi’s brandishing of Hinduism has led to rising Islamophobia and persecution of the country’s more than 200 million Muslims.

Modi and the BJP have increasingly resorted to overtly Islamophobic language during his recent election speeches. In a controversial speech last month, Modi said that if the opposition wins, they would distribute the country’s wealth among “infiltrators” and “those who have more children,” in apparent reference to the Muslim community.

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Modi touts India's roaring economy as he seeks reelection, but many feel left behind

Narendra Modi swept to power a decade ago on promises to transform India’s economy, and as he seeks a third term as prime minister, it would be hard to argue he hasn’t made strides

SAMASTIPUR, India — Narendra Modi swept to power a decade ago on promises to transform India’s economy, and it would be hard to argue he hasn’t made strides. As he seeks a third term as prime minister, the country’s economic growth is the envy of the world, its stock markets are booming, and new buildings and highways are popping up everywhere.

There are cracks in the facade, though, that his political challengers hope to benefit from, including high unemployment, persistent poverty and the sense that only a small portion of India’s 1.4 billion people has been able to cash in on the good fortune.

“You have a booming economy for people higher up on the socioeconomic ladder, but people lower down are really struggling,” said Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party have remained popular since he was first elected prime minister in 2014 on a strident Hindu-first platform and pledges to succeed where past governments had failed by finally transforming the economy from rural to industrial.

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He promised to clamp down on deeply rooted corruption and to leverage the country’s manpower advantage to turn it into a manufacturing powerhouse. While campaigning this spring — the six-week-long election concludes Saturday — Modi has vowed to make India’s economy the world’s third-largest, trailing only those of the U.S. and China. Votes will be counted Tuesday.

Modi has had successes. The economy is growing by 7% and more than 500 million Indians have opened bank accounts during his tenure — a big step toward formalizing an economy where many jobs are still off the books and untaxed. His administration has also poured billions of dollars into the country’s creaky infrastructure to lure investment, and notably streamlined its vast welfare program, which serves around 60% of the population and which his party is leveraging to try to win over poor and disillusioned voters.

Despite these advances, though, Modi’s economic policies have failed to generate employment that moves people from low-paying, precarious work to secure, salaried jobs. With inequality, joblessness and underemployment soaring, they’ve become central themes of the election.

Even as India’s millionaires multiply, nearly 90% of its working-age population earns less than the country’s average annual income of around $2,770, according to a World Inequality Lab study. The top 1% own more than 40% of the country’s wealth, while the bottom 50% own just above 6%, the study found.

To stem economic discontent, Modi and the BJP are hoping to win over poor and disgruntled voters with more than $400 billion in welfare subsidies and cash transfers.

At the heart of their welfare agenda is a free ration program, which serves 800 million people. It existed under the previous government and is a right under India’s National Food Security Act. But it was greatly expanded during the pandemic to provide grain for free, instead of just cheap, and then extended for another five years beginning in January.

Through roughly 300 programs, hundreds of millions have received household goods ranging from cooking gas cylinders to free toilets. Millions of homes have been built for the poor, who now have greater access to piped water, Wi-Fi and electricity. And the government has ramped up cash transfers to farmers and other key voting blocs.

When Rajesh Prajapati lost his job at a chemical factory in Prayagraj, a city in India’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh, his family of five survived on government grain.

“For almost a year, the free ration was our only solace,” he said, adding that it was the reason they voted for Modi again.

Indian parties have always used welfare to win elections. But experts say the BJP has done it better.

Benefits such as subsidies, pensions and loans are now delivered through cash transfers directly to bank accounts linked to each individual’s biometric identity card, which the government says has helped eliminate leakages and corruption by cutting out intermediaries.

These large-scale handouts provide relief, but some say they are only a temporary fix and a sign of rising economic distress. To reduce inequality, they should be accompanied by investment in health and education, which have stagnated in recent years, said Ashoka Mody, an economist at Princeton University.

Subsidies are helpful, “but they do not create the ability of people to put themselves on a trajectory where they and their children can look forward to a better future,” he said.

Tuntun Sada, a farmworker from Samastipur, a city in the eastern state of Bihar, said the 18 kilograms (40 pounds) of free grain that helps feed his family of six each month has only marginally improved their lives. He still earns less than $100 a month after working the fields of wealthier landowners.

“People like us don’t get very much,” Sada said. “Modi should walk the talk. If we don’t earn enough, how will we raise our children?”

The free rations don’t last through the month, piped water has yet to reach his community and there are no nearby schools for his four kids to attend. What he really needs, he said, is a better job.

Modi’s opposition, led by the Congress party, are betting on the jobs crisis to dent the BJP’s chances of securing a majority. Before the election, a survey by the Center for Study of Developing Societies found that more than 60% of voters were worried about unemployment and believed finding a job had become tougher. Only 12% felt like economic opportunities had increased.

Official government data, which many economists question, shows the unemployment rate declining. But a recent report from the International Labor Organization found that youth unemployment in India is higher than the global average, that more than 40% of Indians still work in agriculture, and that 90% of workers are in informal employment.

The liberalizing of India’s economy in the 1990s laid the foundation for the remarkable growth since, with millions escaping poverty and spawning a middle class. But it has also allowed for the growing disparity between rich and poor, economists say.

Rahul Gandhi, the main face of the opposition, has sought to tap into the growing resentment felt by the country’s many have-nots by promising to take on the issue of wealth distribution if his alliance gains power.

Modi, who says his government has lifted 250 million Indians out of poverty, is unapologetic. In a TV interview this month, he said wealth distribution is a gradual process and dismissed criticism of the growing inequality by asking, “Should everyone be poor?”

Both the BJP and the Congress party say they will create more employment through various sectors including construction, manufacturing and government jobs. Experts say this is crucial for reducing economic disparities, but it’s also hard to do.

Mass unemployment and underemployment have always been intractable problems in India, so parties inevitably fall back on the promises of handouts, said Mody, the Princeton economist. Case in point: The Congress party has pledged to double people’s free rations if voted into power.

“It’s completely the wrong focus… what we need is job creation,” Mody said. “And there is no one today who has an idea of how to solve that problem.”

Pathi reported from New Delhi.

Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific