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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Future elections to be based on politics of performance: Amit Shah
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Future elections to be based on politics of performance: Amit Shah

Shah says 'Make In India' and skill development will prove to be the biggest steps in solving the country's unemployment problem

Amit Shah says the BJP-led government has done well on many fronts, especially on the economic front. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/MintPremium
Amit Shah says the BJP-led government has done well on many fronts, especially on the economic front. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint

New Delhi: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government set to complete a year in office on Tuesday, party president Amit Shah said future elections in India will be based on the “politics of performance".

Shah, who took charge soon after the general elections last year, also said Make In India and skill development will prove to be the biggest steps in solving the country’s unemployment problem. Edited excerpts from an interview conducted on Sunday:

On 26 May, the NDA celebrates its first year in office. Your thoughts?

In the last one year, we have tried to do a lot of things and we have got some good results for our efforts; especially on the economic front, we have improved all the parameters. Let me take you a little into the background. During the government of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the GDP (growth) was 4.4% which the government got as legacy; in six years, the NDA government raised it to 8.4%. Then, the UPA came to power and in 10 years, the UPA again brought it down to 4.4%. According to the old parameters, we have raised GDP growth to more than 5.7% in just one year. I believe that an increase of 1.3% growth in GDP in the deteriorating economic conditions is a very big achievement.

In the fiscal deficit also, trade deficit and we have managed to control it successfully. I want to say that these numbers are in the public domain; there is greater transparency now. Foreign direct investment has increased, forex reserves are the highest in 15 years. Both wholesale and retail inflation rates have been brought down successfully. The 10-year average of wholesale inflation rate was at 5-6%, but it is now at negative 2.66% and retail inflation rate which was 8.7% is now at 5.5%. This shows that inflation has been controlled. Now, we have created a base and I am confident that we will be able to do good work on this base that has been created.

The NDA has sought to move to a rules-based regime. Will it impact corruption?

In 10 years of UPA rule, some 12 trillion were siphoned out. In contrast, in the last one year, not even a single charge of corruption has been levelled against the government. The UPA gave away 229 mines to corporate houses; similarly spectrum too was handed out on discretion. The (NDA) government auctioned only 20 coal blocks and raised 2 trillion.

Critics are questioning the Prime Minister on his frequent trips abroad.

This government has corrected a neglect of foreign policy by the previous regime. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we have raised the country’s prestige and taken steps to improve economic relations and thereby revive trade. Our foreign policy has been developed on five principles: security, samman (honour), sammruddhi (prosperity), sanskruti (culture) aur samvad (dialogue).

Will infrastructure revival be a priority?

Under the previous government, the average road building pace, taking the Union and states together, was 5 km every day. In the last one year alone, the Union government has doubled this pace to 11 km per day. The government has undertaken several policy initiatives to strengthen power infrastructure. The objective is to create 24x7 power availability to all. These initiatives will only accelerate over the next four years.

In the 16th general election, the BJP has replaced the Congress as the principal pole of Indian politics. How do you see this structural change transforming India’s politics at one level and the BJP at another—as it looks to expand its national footprint?

Successive BJP governments have always promoted politics of performance. This time, BJP got full majority; when we go to the people again, it will be on politics of performance. It will be a big change in the political history of India because it is for the first time that a government will ask for public mandate on the basis of politics of performance.

Secondly, the expansion of BJP’s organisation. I am confident that just as the Congress used to be the principal pole of Indian politics, similarly the BJP will now be the principal pole of Indian politics for a long time. The entire politics will revolve around the BJP for a long time.

How would you as the party president want to see the BJP evolve?

As far as politics of performance is concerned, I am confident that it is a good situation for the country. The country will also benefit from the expansion of The BJP. The BJP is expanding in two ways, states where the BJP was weak, where our public mandate was negligible, we are expanding in those states also. And social sectors such as other backward classes (OBCs) and dalits, we have been able to unite our supporters and we have succeeded in making them members of the party. It is because of the efforts of BJP members that today the party has more than 11 crore (110 million) members and the BJP has become the biggest party in the world.

Rural distress is a matter of concern. Do you see this as a matter of concern ahead of polls in Bihar, which is primarily an agrarian state?

If this has adverse political effect on us, then it is not in our hands. We will have to face it. But the government is thinking about the long-term impact of this. In times of hailstorms and rain, it is the need of the hour for the government to stand alongside farmers. So, the government has done it. It is very good work done by the government, but it doesn’t mean that we are not working on a long-term plan on this. We are restructuring agricultural insurance, we are trying to increase irrigated land. The more land is irrigated, farmers will not remain dependent on rain. There are many other programmes being designed by the government, which will protect farmers and rural areas in the long term.

The NDA has signalled that in future, subsidies will be reserved for the needy. Given that populism is a useful tool, is this politically wise?

Even if it is not a (politically) wise decision, it is needed to be taken in the interest of the country. Those who need subsidy should definitely get it. It is the moral responsibility of the government to plug the leakages in subsidy and the government should not run away from it. I agree that we need a moral awareness about it. For example, the Prime Minister announced “Give it up", that look whoever gets subsidized gas, if their economic situation is good and accomplished, they should give up subsidized gas. Roughly 2.5 lakh people gave up their subsidized gas and I am hopeful that this figure will go up to 20 lakh.

A few statements from the BJP constituents sent wrong signals on the government’s priorities to foreign and domestic investors. How do you propose to address this?

First, I want to clarify that the BJP believes that such statements should not be made. We have tried to stop it but it has no connection with development. You tell me if the speed of making roads will get reduced because of such statements? We want to send water to villages, will the speed of that reduce? Will the transmission of electricity end? This has no connection whatsoever with development. There is a group which is conspiring to connect it to development. These two things have no relationship but this should be stopped; such statements should not be made and a good environment should be created in the country.

In the next two years, there are critical elections to several states including Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

The rest are very far, but in Bihar, we are definitely going to win the elections and the BJP will form the government with full majority.

No threat from Janata Dal (United) or the alliance of the Janata Parivar?

The alliance is happening because we are strong. Otherwise, why will those who have been doing politics against each other in the last 25 years come together? The BJP is strong and therefore, this alliance has happened.

How do you weigh the government’s prospects over the next four years?

The government has brought Make In India scheme, ground level implementation will happen in the coming days, and it will start showing results soon. Three kinds of benefits are expected. Because of technology transfer, it will lead to greater opportunities for high skill technical youth. Greater push in manufacturing sector will benefit growth rate tremendously, and greater manufacturing in India will not only meet demands within country but will also lead to greater exports which will help in bringing down trade deficit. The biggest advantage of this initiative will be in the employment sector. Simultaneously, government has launched a skill development programme; so, the combination of Make In India and skill development, it will prove to be the biggest step in solving the unemployment problem of India.

The NDA has made a bold promise of cleaning the river Ganges and of course the idea of Swachh Bharat. How does the BJP as a party propose to work on this campaign?

As far as Swachh Bharat and Namami Ganga are concerned, it has three parts. First, to have religious sentiment towards cleanliness and Ganga and also to instil values. And I think it has happened in the last one year. Now, even a young child stops his father from littering. When someone throws garbage, the child stops his father from throwing garbage.

This work of creating awareness in the younger generation has happened because of the initiative of the prime minister. We have also done a lot of work to create awareness about Ganga. The second work is to dispose the garbage. For that, NITI Aayog is working. Together, the three of them -- local bodies, state government and central government – will create a blueprint for a nationwide disposal of garbage in a proper and scientific manner and one will see cleanliness through this. This is the second part.

The third part is its strict monitoring and implementation with a strong political will. We will do that also properly...I think both the problems are such that the government alone cannot bring a solution to the problem. Its solution can be found only with the public being taken along and we have planned that properly. And I am hopeful that we will be able to do it.

The NDA accepted the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission and structurally altered India’s fiscal polity: allowing states to determine the money that accrues to them from the national exchequer. How do you see this defining the future of centre-state relations?

I am confident that this will only improve centre-state relations and there cannot be two ways about it. But states will have to work towards bringing financial discipline. The grants given by centre should be utilised properly, especially for infrastructure and reforms – administrative reforms like police modernisation, computerisation, e-governance, should be promoted for long term benefits.

Some people say that states may use this money, at some point, to pay for salaries and for populist measures but the thought to strengthen states cannot be delayed anymore. The time has come to strengthen states for a stronger centre. This should be a new strategy for the country.

This new arrangement, however, is in transition, because the change is so fundamental leading to disruption in the spending routine of state governments. So, several states are are blaming the centre for disrupting their social sector spending routine. Do you see this bad press impacting BJP’s electoral prospects, say in the upcoming Bihar elections?

States are saying this only for the purpose of face-saving before the people. Numbers are clear on this that there is an increase in the funds going to states from the centre. It has not reduced but increased and numbers are very clear on this. The money that was generated by auctioning coal and mineral mines was also transferred to states and these are states which needed money. I believe that only a BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have taken this decision that entire money should given to states and not just royalty like earlier times. The money was given for development of states. Complaints by states are unfair and it shows low level of politics and it is not true.

The NDA has made a start in this budget to set up a social security infrastructure including pension and health insurance initiatives. Do you believe this will go some way in addressing the growing aspiration levels in Indian society?

No policy can be made simply to satisfy the aspirations of the people. However, gradually, we want to give a permanent outlook to social security. In this country, more than 60 crore poor don’t get any security; then it is a major failure for any government and it has not happened till now. Sixty crore population in this country post 68 years of independence still did not have a bank account. The BJP decided that in its government’s first year, we would try to give at least one bank account in every family in order to connect that family with the economic set up and we have succeeded in that. Today, when we give an accident insurance of 2 lakh for a premium 12 an year, life insurance of 2 lakh for a premium of 330 an year and when we bring a pension scheme for non-government employed people, then I believe, the sense of security in the poor population will increase and that should be done. It is a big and a new initiative in India and for the first time this government has done the working of implementing on ground such a big social security scheme.

The passing of the black money bill seems to have triggered fears among sections of corporate India. Do you see a backlash against the NDA?

There is no question of fear amongst those who want to do good and I believe those who have faulted, Arun Jaitley gave a statement in Rajya Sabha that they will be given time and they should try to correct that. But even after this you don’t do it, then strict action must be taken. Now, when the law is so liberal, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gives you all permissions; then why should the money go out of the country in an unconstitutional manner? When there were all kinds of restrictions, it was still understood, but now you should apply, take RBI permissions and then send it. Sending of money outside the country through unconstitutional ways should be stopped; no country will tolerate this and no country can run like this. Still those who have done it in the past, the finance minister gave a statement in the Rajya Sabha that within a time frame and decorum, this money should be brought back and I believe that should be used.

The BJP has 11 crore membership. This is the first time that the party has witnessed such a support base. How are you going to harness this kind of political energy in different states?

We have started a mass contact programme of these 11 crore members, we will introduce and make them aware of the good work being done by the government. We will take their introduction and the party is trying to create a huge database out of this. Fifteen lakh people are being taken out and we are going to organize a huge training programme for them. These 11 crore members are actually our wellwishers and to convert them into a worker, we will do this through mass contact and training programmes. In the days to come, I believe this will become a critical medium to spread the message of BJP and the BJP through them will transmit the problems of the people to the government. Our organizational structure will become very strong.

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Published: 24 May 2015, 11:47 PM IST
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