BJP President calls for building Jharkhand in Vajpayee’s Vision

PNS

Ranchi

BJP National President Nitin Nabin on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party would continue to shape Jharkhand’s future, declaring that the state must be transformed into the Jharkhand envisioned by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He said the BJP was committed to preserving the state’s heritage and culture while taking it to new heights of development.

Addressing an intellectuals’ interaction programme titled “Viksit Bharat @2047” at Carnival Banquet Hall in Dibdih, Ranchi, Nabin said he shared a deep emotional bond with Jharkhand, describing it as the sacred land of Maa Chhinnamastika and Baba Baidyanath Dham.

Responding to questions raised by participants on agriculture, Nabin said the prosperity of farmers was central to the nation’s progress. He highlighted the Centre’s efforts to increase farmers’ income and promote organic farming, stating that incentives were being provided across districts to encourage sustainable agricultural practices.

The BJP leader credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with bringing tangible improvements to the lives of citizens. He claimed that over 250 million people had been lifted out of poverty and that 800 million beneficiaries were receiving free food grains under government welfare schemes. He also highlighted the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat programme, saying it was ensuring access to healthcare and preventing families from falling into financial distress due to medical expenses.

Nabin said the government had empowered women through financial inclusion initiatives, including the opening of more than 540 million bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana. He added that Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) had eliminated leakages and ensured that welfare funds reached beneficiaries directly.

Emphasising India’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, he said the country had emerged as one of the world’s leading startup hubs, with more than 200,000 startups and over 125 unicorns. According to him, Indian youth were increasingly becoming job creators rather than job seekers.

On women’s empowerment, he said the BJP remained committed to ensuring dignity, rights and opportunities for women. He claimed that the government had helped create three crore “Lakhpati Didis” and reiterated the party’s commitment to implementing 33 per cent reservation for women. He also praised the role of women in strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies.

Highlighting welfare initiatives, Nabin said the government had constructed 120 million toilets, provided four crore houses to the poor, and supplied LPG connections to ten crore women under the Ujjwala Yojana. He added that financial assistance and loans had also been extended to street vendors and small traders to improve their livelihoods.

Defending the Digital India initiative, he said opposition parties had once mocked the programme, but digital transactions had now become a cornerstone of the economy. He maintained that digital infrastructure had simplified financial transactions and enabled direct transfer of benefits to millions of citizens.

Navin also listed achievements in the railway sector, including track doubling, electrification, introduction of new trains and improvements in operational efficiency.

On national security, he asserted that the Modi government would never compromise on the country’s safety and had strengthened India’s defence capabilities. He claimed that significant progress had been made in curbing Left-wing extremism and expanding defence exports.

Concluding his address, Navin said the vision of a developed India by 2047 could only be realised through the collective participation of all sections of society.

Earlier, BJP Jharkhand President Aditya Sahu said the transformation witnessed in the country since 2014 demonstrated the impact of Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. He said the government had worked to ensure that welfare schemes reached every section of society, including the poor, farmers, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other disadvantaged groups.

Among those present on the occasion were Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, Dr H.P. Narayan, Purnmal Jain, Chandan Mishra and several prominent members of the intellectual community. The programme was moderated by BJP state vice-president and Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Verma and attended by hundreds of academicians, professionals, social leaders and citizens.