People saving Rs 20K annually against 11 yrs ago when Cong ruled: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday contrasted the governance models of the BJP and the Congress saying under the current NDA dispensation, people were saving Rs 20,000 annually compared to 11 years ago.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new Delhi BJP office on Deen Dyal Upadhyay Marg, close to the BJP headquarters, here, the PM also took "bayaan bahadur" dig at Congress leaders and said the Congress had always “looted people”.

“BJP governments have developed a new model of good governance. Our model is vikas bhi, virasat bhi (Development and heritage). We have kindled hopes of a decisive fight against corruption by ending an era of scandals in India,” Modi said in the presence of BJP president JP Nadda, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva among other Delhi Cabinet ministers.

The PM said BJP governments everywhere are focused on delivery and raising savings of average households.

“Congress leaders love giving statements, they are bayaan bahadurs. But till their rule in 2014, annual income above Rs 2 lakh was taxed. Today income up to even Rs 12 lakh has zero tax. The same status was the case with taxes on goods and services. Before 2014, a common family paid Rs 25,000 tax on Rs 1 lakh spent on daily essentials.

After next generation GST reforms, today on that same spending people have to pay Rs 5,000 tax. So compared to 11 years ago, people are saving Rs 20,000 per year,” Modi said.

He said if income tax and GST cuts are combined, annually people will save Rs 2.5 lakh crore. Describing Delhi as mini-India where people from all states live, the PM asked BJP workers to participate in all festivals - from Guru Purabs and Durga Puja to Chhat and Pongal. This, he said, was the key to national unity.

The PM also appealed to party workers to ensure next gen GST benefits pass to commoners.

“We have to create awareness among customers and shopkeepers. Our responsibility in opposition-ruled states is greater. The Himachal Government has already started looting people since we announced GST cuts. Himachal has raised cement prices," Modi said attacking the Congress-led Himachal Government.

He also reiterated the government's commitment to make India a developed nation by 2047 and stressed self-reliance.

"We have to make India self-reliant and adopt swadeshi. This is the responsibility of all BJP workers. We have to instil in everyone the pride in locally made products. Ensure there is a board outside every shop that says - garv se kaho yeh swadeshi hai," Modi told BJP workers. He also said the less India depends on foreign imports the better it will be.

The PM further asked BJP cadres to ensure women availed of the benefits of free health camps being held all across the country as part of Sewa Pakhwada, which ends on October 2. “So far, three crore plus women have got free tests in over 1 lakh health camps," he said.