Fulfilling Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya ji’s dream of a developed and just India

Published By : Admin | September 25, 2015 | 10:51 IST

Dear Friends,

Today we bow to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya ji, on his birth anniversary. This year the occasion is even more special as it marks the beginning of Deendayal ji’s centenary year.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya is our inspiration. From his life we learn how an individual completely devoted himself to the wellbeing of the nation and the service of the poor. As a political organiser, his work was legendary. Without getting trapped into the lure for power he continued to work, selflessly.

Deendayal ji gave us the Mantra of ‘Integral Humanism’, which has been our guiding principle. This Mantra of ‘Integral Humanism’ stands out as a clear way of thought firmly rooted in the Indian tradition. ‘Integral Humanism also stands out for its emphasis on decentralization and attaches immense importance to the economic progress of every human being.

When I say that the Government of India is a government for the poor, it is deeply inspired by Deendayal ji’s idea of Antyodaya or serving the very last person in the society. India’s progress is dependent on how quickly we can free our nation from the clutches of poverty and provide every Indian a life of dignity, opportunity and aspiration.

For years, the poor of India figured prominently in rhetoric of politicians but when it came to delivery on the ground, there was a wide gap. Our government has been laser focused on bridging this gap. All our key initiatives, from Swachh Bharat, to ensuring that the poor have bank accounts, to creating a social security and pension framework to 24/7 electricity and housing for all are aimed at bringing a qualitative difference in the lives of the poor. The scope and scale of these initiatives is wide and unprecedented but we are confident that we will complete them and deliver the desired results.

Exactly on this day last year, the ‘Make in India’ initiative was launched. We believe that India is the ideal destination for companies from across the world to invest in. Our demographic dividend is ideally suited to drive this change and make India a hub for manufacturing, cutting edge research and innovation. With industry will come greater employment and learning opportunities for our youth, which will ignite the lamp of progress and prosperity in their lives.

A year on, I am meeting with top business leaders and investors in the United States, building on the ground we had covered last year. Wherever I am travelling, I have seen renewed enthusiasm towards investing in India. We, on our part are doing everything possible to further this spirit. We have made doing business easier, are working to make our tax structures more predictable, stable and competitive. We are simplifying procedures and removing regulations that are unnecessary. We are placing enormous focus on technology as well.

I am confident these efforts will directly benefit the poor of India and provide them the windows of opportunity they deserve.

Today, I will be addressing a UN Summit on adoption of post-2015 Development Agenda. The world is taking note of the menace of climate change and it must be highlighted that the greatest sufferers of the adverse consequences of climate change will be the poor. It is in a way a manifestation of Antyodaya that today the global community, from leaders to individuals and organisations are coming together to find ways to mitigate this adversity. I am hopeful we will draw up a clear roadmap on Climate Change Mitigation and towards Sustainable Development that will directly benefit the poor and the marginalised.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya always said, ‘Charaiveti, Charaiveti.’ This was an inspiring call to keep pursuing your mission without being overcome by any obstacles, to establish a system of sacrifice and hardwork. Let us follow the path shown by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and work together to fulfil his dream of a developed and just India, where the poorest of the poor is taken care of.

 

Yours,

Narendra Modi

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A Decade of Digital India
July 01, 2025

Ten years ago, we embarked on a bold journey into uncharted territory with great conviction.

While decades were spent doubting the ability of Indians to use technology, we changed this approach and trusted the ability of Indians to use technology.

While decades were spent thinking that use of technology will deepen the gap between the haves and the have-nots, we changed this mindset and used technology to eliminate the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

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When the intent is right, innovation empowers the less empowered. When the approach is inclusive, technology brings change in the lives of those on the margins.

This belief laid the foundation for Digital India: a mission to democratise access, build inclusive digital infrastructure, and opportunities for all.

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In 2014, internet penetration was limited, digital literacy was low, and online access to government services was scarce. Many doubted whether a country as vast and diverse as India could truly go digital.

Today, that question has been answered not just in data and dashboards, but in the lives of 140 crore Indians. From how we govern, to how we learn, transact, and build, Digital India is everywhere.

Bridging the Digital Divide

In 2014, India had around 25 crore internet connections. Today, that number has grown to over 97 crores. Over 42 lakh kilometres of Optical Fibre Cable equivalent to 11 times the distance between Earth and the Moon now connects even the most remote villages.

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India’s 5G rollout is among the fastest in the world, with 4.81 lakh base stations installed in just two years. High-speed internet now reaches urban hubs and forward military posts alike including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh.

India Stack, which is our digital backbone, has enabled platforms like UPI, which now handles 100+ billion transactions a year. Around half of all real time digital transactions happen in India.

Through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), over ₹44 lakh crore has been transferred directly to citizens, cutting out middlemen and saving ₹3.48 lakh crore in leakages.

Schemes like SVAMITVA have issued 2.4 crore+ property cards and mapped 6.47 lakh villages, ending years of land-related uncertainty.

Democratising Opportunity for All

India’s digital economy is empowering MSMEs and small entrepreneurs like never before.

ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) is a revolutionary platform which opens a new window of opportunities by providing a seamless connection with huge market of buyers and sellers.

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GeM (Government E-Marketplace) enables the common man to sell goods and services to all arms of the government. This not only empowers the common man with a huge market but also saves money for the Government.

Imagine this: You apply for a Mudra loan online. Your creditworthiness is assessed through an account aggregator framework. You get your loan and start your venture. You register on GeM, supply to schools and hospitals, and then scale up via ONDC.

ONDC recently crossed 200 million transactions, with the last 100 million in just six months. From Banarasi weavers to bamboo artisans in Nagaland, sellers are now reaching customers nationwide, without middlemen or digital monopolies.

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GeM has also crossed ₹1 lakh crore GMV in 50 days, with 22 lakh sellers including 1.8 lakh+ women-led MSMEs, who have fulfilled orders worth ₹46,000 crore.

Digital Public Infrastructure: India’s Global Offering

India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) from Aadhaar, CoWIN, DigiLocker, and FASTag to PM-WANI and One Nation One Subscription is now studied and adopted globally.

CoWIN enabled the world’s largest vaccination drive, issuing 220 crore QR-verifiable certificates. DigiLocker, with 54 crore users, hosts 775 crore+ documents, securely and seamlessly.

Through our G20 Presidency, India launched the Global DPI Repository and a $25 million Social Impact Fund, helping nations across Africa and South Asia adopt inclusive digital ecosystems.

Startup Power Meets AatmaNirbhar Bharat

India now ranks among the top 3 startup ecosystems in the world, with over 1.8 lakh startups. But this is more than a startup movement, it is a tech renaissance.

India is doing extremely well when it comes to AI skill penetration and AI talent concentration among our youth.

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Through the $1.2 billion India AI Mission, India has enabled access to 34,000 GPUs at globally unmatched prices at less than $1/GPU hour making India not just the most affordable internet economy, but also the most affordable compute destination.

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The Road Ahead

The next decade will be even more transformative. We are moving from digital governance to global digital leadership, from India-first to India-for-the-world.

Digital India has not remained a mere government program, it has become a people’s movement. It is central to building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and to making India a trusted innovation partner to the world.

To all innovators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers: the world is looking at India for the next digital breakthrough.

Let us build what empowers.

Let us solve what truly matters.

Let us lead with technology that unites, includes, and uplifts.