The 2024 Lok Sabha elections have been extremely interesting. On one hand, the NDA led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seeking votes on its work and performance over the last 10 years. On the other hand, the INDIA coalition of Opposition parties was going to voters on the issues of inflation and unemployment during Modi’s tenure.
The Prime Minister was reaching out to the people with the guarantees of ‘making life easier’ and his policies, which included housing and free ration for the poor for the next five years, free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat programme for the poor as well as people above 70 years of age, and a continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi among other welfare schemes.
But Congress, the principal party of the INDIA bloc, was in the electoral fray with even more promises than in previous elections—a sum of Rs 1 lakh to every poor family, a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP), redistribution of wealth (according to population share) by conducting socio-economic surveys, etc. Other regional parties of INDIA were also luring the public with free schemes.
However, it seems that the voters have seemingly not voted for the free schemes and given victory to the NDA. It proves that the people of India have supported the policies adopted during Modi’s 10-year tenure. But this win is not with thumping numbers, as the ruling alliance claimed during its campaigns, especially in the two big states of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
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Support of beneficiaries
During the tenure of Modi, many welfare schemes were launched for the poor, the beneficiaries of which have naturally supported the BJP. Speaking of the beneficiaries, the construction of permanent houses for four crore poor families is considered a major achievement of the Modi government. It is worth mentioning that India’s poor, who were earlier living in kutcha or semi-kutcha houses, about three crore rural and one crore urban houses were built in the last few years.
If a family of five is considered, then about 20 crore people have been the beneficiaries of this scheme. They are the people who were living under the shabbiest conditions, without toilets, electricity, potable water, and LPG connections. With a provision of a pukka house, not only their lives have seen a big change, their efficiency has also multiplied. It can be understood that the BJP government’s welfare schemes have positively impacted the standard of living of India’s poor families. Naturally, the NDA has received support from these beneficiaries. Along with this, 10 crore women have benefitted from LPG gas connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. There is no doubt that these beneficiaries have also supported the NDA.
The construction of toilets under the current government can be considered a social revolution. Undoubtedly, women who have been freed from open defecation due to this scheme have shown their support. Connecting almost the entire country with the tap water scheme and providing 100 per cent electricity connection is no less than a revolution. Free ration for about 80 crore population and providing Rs 6,000 per year to farmers is also a popular step. It must be noted that apart from the Kisan Samman Nidhi, which has an impact on government expenditure of about Rs 75,000 crore per year, no other scheme run by the Modi government is about cash distribution.
Cash distribution for votes
The previous UPA government had waived off farmers’ loans worth Rs 70,000 crore in 2008, and a similar promise was made in 2024 too. Before the 2019 elections, Congress had pledged to give Rs 72,000 annually to every poor family after winning the elections. The party only won 52 seats that year. That shows that people had rejected the Congress’ cash distribution scheme. This time, the party has promised to give Rs 1 lakh, and has publicised it extensively. However, voters had great doubts about its implementation. Even though the Congress’ vote tally in 2024 has improved from 52 to a little less than 100, it’s much less than the magic number needed to form a government.
The rejection of the cash distribution scheme by the public and the trust shown in the social welfare schemes run by the Modi government indicates the maturity of the Indian democracy and voters.
Priorities of the new government
India has resolved to become a developed nation by 2047. In the last 10 years, the country’s GDP has increased from $2 trillion to almost $4 trillion. India has progressed from being the 10th largest economy in the world to becoming the 5th largest economy. However, it is also true that the disparity between the rich and the poor persists.
Even though extreme poverty has been considerably reduced in the country, as the Modi government uplifted 25 crore people, the number of people suffering from multidimensional poverty is still almost 12 crore, as per 2023 data.
Due to fiscal prudence, the capital investment of the government is increasing. A large amount of infrastructure is being built in the country, due to which success is being achieved in reducing the logistics cost, making lives easier for the masses.
On the other hand, online transactions using technology are happening more in India than elsewhere in the world. The central government has also been successful in granting more patents—1.03 lakh in 2024 as compared to only 4,227 patents in 2014. This indicates the development of innovation in the country. However, we are still dependent on foreign countries for manufacturing. Under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat policy, efforts to increase manufacturing in the country are also bearing fruit, but more efforts will be required in this direction so that India can become completely self-reliant. Employment opportunities will also have to be generated for the growing population in the country.
Traditional employment of industrial workers, BPO workers and even highly skilled software engineers, is indeed being affected due to AI, automation, and robotics, but there will also be a need to keep up with technology. We also have to ensure that the use of machines and AI is reduced in areas where labour can be used better. At the same time, efforts will have to be made to promote rural industrialisation and making life better in rural areas by developing agriculture and allied activities.
Ashwani Mahajan is a professor at PGDAV College, University of Delhi. He tweets @ashwani_mahajan. Views are personal.