Unlocking the last mile delivery: The paradigm shift in Indian governance over the past 9 years.

This is exactly what the Modi government did from the first day of coming into power. They’ve thought of the last man and ensured that he gets food, water, electricity, gas, a house, a livelihood, healthcare, and above all, a dignified life. The transformative vision of “Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” has laid the foundation for policies aimed at uplifting the lives of the underprivileged. Initiatives such as the PM Ujjwala Yojana, the PM Sannidhi Scheme, the Jal Jeevan Mission, and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan have played a pivotal role in providing essential amenities and improving the quality of life for the impoverished.

Food

Prior to 2014, the Congress government’s management of the Public Distribution System (PDS) faced criticism for inefficiencies and challenges in last mile delivery. Reports highlighted issues such as corruption, leakages, inadequate storage facilities, and mismanagement, leading to searing discrepancies in providing subsidized food grains to the intended beneficiaries. When the Modi government came into power, it implemented a more targeted approach to identify beneficiaries who were in need of subsidized food grains. This has been done through the use of Aadhaar to eliminate duplicate or ineligible beneficiaries and ensure that food reaches the intended recipients. The PDS system was digitized to reduce corruption, discrepancies, and leakage. The use of technology, such as electronic point of sale (ePOS) machines and mobile applications, has been encouraged to enable real-time tracking of food distribution and prevent diversion of food grains. The scope of this refurbished PDS system increased gradually through the introduction of initiatives like the National Food Security Act (NFSA), which now aims to provide subsidized food grains to around two-thirds of the country’s population. Other initiatives, like the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) having over 3.31 crore beneficiaries and the National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyaan) having over 10.02 crore beneficiaries, focus on improving the health and nutrition of pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children. Amidst the COVID pandemic, the government fed 80 crore hungry mouths with free food grains under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

Water

Gone are the days of walking long distances to fetch water for daily use, as households across the country are being equipped with private tap water connections through the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission. The government has achieved the seemingly impossible by installing more than 9.08 crore tap water connections in a very short span of time.

Electricity

In the year 2015, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) was launched to focus on providing round-the-clock electricity supply to rural areas and strengthening the power infrastructure in villages. Further, in 2017, the Saubhagya Yojana was launched to provide electricity connections to all unelectrified households in both rural and urban areas. These schemes facilitated the last mile delivery of electricity by extending the power grid and providing free electricity connections to households, thereby improving the quality of life for millions.

Gas

Even after 65 years of independence, many households in India relied on traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, coal, cow dung, and other biomass-based fuels. It led to indoor air pollution as these fuels produced high levels of smoke, soot, and toxic gases when burned, not neglecting that prolonged exposure to indoor air pollution causes respiratory diseases, eye problems, lung disorders, and other health issues among women and children. It also required more time and effort, caused an economic burden, harmed the environment, and had several safety hazards. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in 2016 with the objective of providing free LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to women from economically disadvantaged households. By replacing traditional cooking fuels with clean LPG, the scheme improved health, reduced indoor air pollution, and made cooking safer. The last mile delivery of LPG connections was facilitated through a targeted approach, ensuring that the benefits reached the intended beneficiaries effectively. 9.58 crore LPG connections are given under this scheme.

House

According to housing and urban affairs ministry data, around 13.45 lakh houses were approved during UPA I and II under two schemes – Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY). Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY): PMAY, launched in 2015, aims to provide affordable housing to the urban poor. The scheme provided financial assistance, interest subsidies, and the use of technology for transparent and efficient implementation. Since 2014, over 3 crore urban and rural houses have been constructed and allocated under the PM Awas Yojana. This is a staggering 55x increase in houses sanctioned.

This March, I participated in the United Nations Water Conference. There was a special sub-event dedicated to the Indian government. Our nation was highly appreciated at the UN for its Jal Jeevan Mission and Swacch Bharat Mission. The government achieved the otherwise impossible feat by constructing 11.5 crore toilets in not 20 or 30 years but in 7. There was a time when India had its lowest point at the mention of open defecation. But today, our nation holds its head high amidst thunderous applause at the United Nations as 32 states/union territories, and to support these well deserved laudations, the fact that over 6.5 lakh villages are declared open-defecation free is backed up proof.

Livelihood

In 2005, Congress introduced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to provide guaranteed wage employment to rural households. While the program aimed to create job opportunities and alleviate poverty, its implementation faced issues relating to corruption, delayed payments, and inadequate monitoring. These challenges affected the timely delivery of wages and the overall effectiveness of the program. Reports highlighted instances of ghost beneficiaries, misappropriation of funds, and a lack of accountability. The government also faced the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam, involving allegations of corruption and mismanagement. The scam highlighted instances of financial irregularities, fake bills, and inadequate monitoring, compromising the last mile delivery of healthcare services to rural communities.

In recent years, the present government has launched a plethora of schemes and policies to ensure a dignified livelihood for all. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) provides financial assistance to small and micro enterprises and has sanctioned loans worth more than Rs. 18.32 lakh crore, benefiting millions of entrepreneurs and promoting self-employment. Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) incentivizes employers to generate new employment by reimbursing the employer’s contribution to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) for new employees. PMRPY has resulted in the addition of over 1.1 crore employees to the formal workforce as of September 2021. The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) focuses on providing skill training and placement opportunities to rural youth from poor families. Further, the Skill India Mission focuses on enhancing the skills of the Indian workforce to make them more employable and self-reliant through vocational training.

Banking and finance

The Modi government leaves no stone unturned for the growth of its people. And in this regard, it has ensured banking and finance for all. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has been launched to provide universal access to banking services for all households, especially those in remote and underserved areas. The scheme succeeded in bringing millions of previously unbanked individuals into the formal banking system, enabling them to access financial services and government subsidies directly. Over 49.03 crore bank accounts are opened under this scheme. The government has promoted various digital payment initiatives, such as the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and BHIM app, to encourage cashless transactions, financial inclusion, and more convenient digital payments across the country. UPI is projected to cross 10 billion transactions in June 2023. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is an insurance scheme for farmers aimed at protecting them against crop losses due to natural calamities, pests, or diseases. The scheme provides financial support to farmers, ensuring their economic stability and safeguarding their livelihoods.

Healthcare

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched by Congress to provide accessible and affordable healthcare services to rural areas. While the program made efforts to improve the last-mile delivery of healthcare, challenges such as a shortage of trained medical staff, poor infrastructure, and inadequate monitoring hampered its success. These factors limited the reach and quality of healthcare services in rural areas.

On the other hand, Ayushman Bharat, – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY): PMJAY, was a national health insurance scheme to provide financial protection to vulnerable households by offering cashless healthcare services. The direct transfers and transparent system, unlike the previous government, have ensured that the public has genuinely received good quality services. It is the first and world and only healthcare scheme in the world that gives health coverage of Rs. 5 lakh to 80 crore people. Over 5.08 crore free treatments have been done under this scheme so far.

Infrastructure

Reaching the last mile also involves the remotest of areas in India. The Congress government faced criticism for the slow progress in infrastructure development, which affected the efficient delivery of goods and services to remote areas. Poor road conditions, inadequate connectivity, and insufficient investment in infrastructure were some of the issues raised. However, under the Modi government, 13,400 kilometers of highways have been awarded for construction under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. Over 15.85 lakh kilometers of rural roads have been constructed, connecting more than 1.78 lakh eligible habitations under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). This project is expected to generate nearly 22 million jobs and 100 million man days of employment as a result of the increased economic activity across India.