India Now Has World's Largest Digital Payments Ecosystem, Says Gujarat BJP Chief

World's largest digital payments network key achievement of PM Modi: Gujarat BJP

Rajkot, June 16

Addressing the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sammelan' in Rajkot, Vishwakarma said the country's digital transformation had been driven by initiatives such as Jan Dhan Yojana and Digital India, which he described as "key pillars of financial inclusion and economic modernisation".

"Today, India has the world's largest digital payment ecosystem, and crores of people are carrying out online transactions every day through UPI. India is giving direction to the world in the digital economy," he said.

The event was organised under the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)'s campaign, titled "12 Years of Trust, Development and Public Welfare," to commemorate the completion of 12 years of the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Vishwakarma said that when the Jan Dhan Yojana and Digital India Mission were launched, several political opponents had questioned the initiatives.

However, he said the schemes had since transformed access to banking services nationwide. "More than 58 crore bank accounts have been opened under the Jan Dhan programme, bringing over Rs two lakh crore into the banking system," he said.

He said the achievements being highlighted across the country were not limited to political accomplishments but represented a report card of development, trust and public welfare.

Referring to PM Modi's public life, Vishwakarma said: "The Prime Minister had devoted himself to public service without taking a day's leave during his 12 years in office and throughout his earlier tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat."

He also highlighted welfare and infrastructure initiatives undertaken during the period, stating that more than 25 crore people had been brought above the poverty line, over 12 crore toilets had been constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission, and more than four crore families had received homes through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

In the health sector, he said: "The number of AIIMS institutions had increased from eight before 2014 to more than 23 at present and that medical education seats had risen from around 51,000 to over 1.28 lakh. The establishment of AIIMS Rajkot is a matter of pride for the Saurashtra region."

On agriculture, Vishwakarma said more than Rs four lakh crore had been transferred directly to farmers under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, while procurement from farmers over the past 12 years had reached around Rs 26 lakh crore.

"India had advanced from the 11th position to become the world's fourth-largest economy under PM Modi's leadership and had developed strengths across sectors, including industrial, rural, medical, digital, tourism, spiritual, blue and green economies," he said.

Highlighting Gujarat's development, he said the state had emerged as a leader in solar energy and that Rajkot had grown into a major industrial hub.

He noted that projects such as the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train, GIFT City, the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, the PM MITRA Park in Navsari and the Statue of Unity reflected the scale of infrastructure development undertaken in recent years.

Former Union minister and Rajya Sabha MP Parshottam Rupala also addressed the gathering and outlined what he described as the PM Modi government's major achievements and landmark initiatives.

The programme was attended by State minister Jitu Vaghani, BJP state general secretaries Aniruddh Dave and Dr Prashant Korat, Rajkot City BJP president Madhav Dave, BJP office-bearers, elected representatives, party workers, industry representatives and citizens.

— IANS