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Want to move away from vote-centric politics, empower poor: Modi
Kolkata, May 9
Asserting that the poor do not
need help but have to be empowered to break free of the shackles of
poverty on their own strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday
said he wanted to usher in social empowerment by moving away from
vote-centric politics.
Modi also urged the rich and the middle
class to pay the premiums for the three social security schemes launched
by his government during the day on behalf of their maids, drivers or
other support staff so as to ensure a better future for them.
"The
poor people don't need help. We have to change our thinking, our
outlook, way of functioning. The poor people need to be empowered.
"If
they are empowered, then the they would be all geared up to fight their
poverty on their own strength, and free themselves of poverty," Modi
said after launching three social welfare schemes here.
He said decades after bank nationalization which was done for the benefit of the poor people, one hardly saw them in the banks.
"Even
today, 80 to 90 percent of the people in the country do not have a
single insurance scheme. They have no chance to get pensions, they are
not fortunate enough to enjoy these basic facilities. It is indeed
painful."
On his first visit to West Bengal after taking over the
high office, the prime minister kickstarted the "Pradhan Mantri
Suraksha Bima Yojana" (accident insurance), "Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti
Yojana" (life insurance) and "Atal Pension Yojana" at a programme at
Nazrul Manch here.
Modi declared that development would remain incomplete if the benefits do not reach the slums.
He
said while the government was appealing to the entire world to join in
the 'Make in India' initiative, it was also working day and night "to
ensure poor people have bank accounts".
Modi said under the Jan
Dhan Yojana, 15 crore new accounts have been created, and now 95 percent
of the country's population was part of the banking sector mainstream.
"I told the poor of the country, this country is yours, this government is yours, the banks are also yours," he said.
"I
said they can open zero balance accounts, but I salute the poor
people... they thought that's not right. In the 15 crore new accounts,
poor people have deposited Rs.15,800 crore."
Modi said:
"Generally politicians bring schemes to reap the benefits in the next
election. I am not a politician. I am a pradhansevak. So I have brought
these schemes for the youth who will get the benefits when they turn 60.
They won't need anybody's help, and can spend their old years on their
own strength."
"The government must have schemes for the poor and
the middle class people who want to spend their life in peace. For
this, if we empower society without looking at vote-centred politics,
then the empowered society can take on poverty. This is our aim."
Modi
said earlier people used to get paltry amounts like Rs.7, Rs.20, or
Rs.250 as government pension. "If an old person went to collect his
pension, he would spent the entire amount for his auto rickshaw or bus
fares," he said, adding the minimum government pension has now been
raised to Rs.1,000.
The prime minister also said contrary to
popular belief that big industrialists usher in economic revolution, the
country's financial system is run by small entrepreneurs.
"Those
who sell vegetables on the street junction.. the washerman, tea stall
owners.. in India, there are 5.5 crore such people, who give momentum to
our financial system. Big industrial ventures give employment to very
few people.