I&B Minister Venkaiah Naidu stretches his persuasive skills to show that all is well post-Nov 8

By Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked its crossing the half-way mark of its five-year term on Thursday by bravely singing the ‘bright’ post-demonetization situation.

The vocal and voluble Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu described demonetization as an “anti-scam vaccine”. According to Naidu, the government has taken a range of initiatives, from Swacch Bharat in October 2014 to Swachh Economy in November 2016.

He mentioned the outcomes of demonetization various sectors. He said Foreign Tourist Arrival (FTA) in November 2016 was 9.35 per cent higher than in the corresponding month in 2015, and that Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) and sale of e-tickers recorded 14.45 per cent growth in November 2015 over November 2015.

He said demonetisaton did not impact rabi sowing, which was more than 573.42 lakh hectare, the highest in the last five years. Rabi sowing has increased by 6.37 per cent so far this year.

He said that “cashless ticketing” increased by 30 per cent, and booking tickets online has increased from 58 per cent in November 2016 to “75 per cent now”.

He explained the grand intention behind demonetization saying that it involved change in attitudes. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) paraphrasing the minister’s statement said: “The Swachh initiative encompassed changing of minds and attitudes of all stakeholders, transforming institutions and processes of governance thereby creating an enabling environment for increased economic activity through necessary policy initiatives and improving ease of doing business, triggering a collective effort with Team India spirit, efficient resource management, targeting relief to the poor and the needy, ensuring social security networks for the vulnerable sections , focusing on social welfare , strengthening social sector programmes, unleashing individual enterprise through various initiatives, emphasis on farm and manufacturing sector and leveraging India’s strengths to secure due place in the international order etc.”

That was indeed a Hegelian sentence.

Lead picture: Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, M Venkaiah Naidu addressing a press conference on last 2.5 years achievements of the Government. Photo: UNI