Narendra Modi bats for simultaneous elections

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that all political parties should come together to support simultaneous elections in India as a lot of financial and human resources get used due to frequent elections.

Modi said that simultaneous elections are possible if all political parties work together because no political party or government alone can be successful in holding simultaneous polls both at the national and state level.

“All political parties should come together on simultaneous polls, let there be a nationwide debate on simultaneous polls. I am confident that if there is discussion in the country, something good will come out. Apart from spending huge amount of financial and human resources in conducting elections, the security forces and police find it difficult to serve the people because they are busy in election duties,” Modi said in an interview to Zee News.

Modi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had helped 100 million people start their own business through the Mudra Yojana, under which a total amount of Rs4 trillion was given to people for the purpose.

Modi said that 7 million new EPF (Employees’ Provident Fund) accounts have been opened in the past one year. “The government is working in the right direction. Is it not job creation when 10 crore people get money to start their own business? Out of the 10 crore people, 3 crore people got money from the bank for the first time, is it not job creation?” Modi asked.

During the course of the interview, when Modi was asked about the focus of the upcoming Union Budget, he said that development is the only message of the NDA and that the government would take all possible steps to ensure that the fruits of development reach everyone. “Development, development and development is the only message of the Union government. We are working with the motive of development for all,” said Modi.

On the performance of the BJP-led government at the centre in the last three years, Modi said some of its biggest achievements were the Jan Dhan Yojana (opening bank accounts), toilets in schools, 33 million families getting cooking gas cylinders, electrification of 18,000 villages, people being provided insurance in 90 paise and distribution and installation of LED lights.

“The implementation of goods and services tax succeeded because of the federal structure of the country and NDA honours the spirit of federal structure. It is a huge transformation and some adjustments would take time. Government should work for the people, not to win elections,” said Modi.

Meenal Thakur contributed to this story.