Titles of Modi's schemes like Greek and Latin to people in non-Hindi regions

By NS Venkataraman*
During the last six years, after assuming the position as Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has been striving hard to improve the conditions in India in several spheres. He has launched a number of schemes that can have potentially far-reaching impact on the country. Some of the schemes that have been initiated are the first time efforts in India.
Modi’s schemes like housing for the poor, construction of toilets for poor households, electrification of rural areas, zero bank account for the poor people are steps to ensure that the benefits of the welfare measures directly reach people.
Other schemes include health insurance schemes for the poor, crop insurance schemes for the farmers etc., the Clean India Campaign, promotion of yoga culture and skill development programme for youth.
Realising that without modifying and changing the systems, corruption cannot be wiped out, several measures such as digitalization, anti-benami law, insolvency and bankruptcy regulations etc. have been initiated. Disciplinary actions against corrupt and inefficient bureaucrats at top level in Central government has been taken.
As part of the carrot and stick policy, several raids on corrupt institutions and individuals have been launched to unearth tax evaded black money and corrupt dealings. Some “big names” involved in banking operations, media and business houses have been caught and jailed or actions initiated.
But corruption is so deeply rooted in the country that it cannot be wiped out in one stroke. There have been some hurdles and bottlenecks, with progress not matching the needs and expectations of the people. Lack of sufficient success in corrective steps has been there due to the huge challengers involved.
Abolition of triple talaq practice has liberated Muslim women. Steps taken for the abolition of Article 370 and integrating Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh with rest of India have had far-reaching impact. The Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) explain the logic of the policy to provide Indian citizenship to the harassed people belonging to the minority communities in three neighbouring countries.

Success of Modi in facing onslaught of critics depends on how he deploys credible spokespersons to explain issues

Almost all these measures have been criticized by certain opposition parties, sections of media, intellectuals and activists. They are getting scared of the popular image of Modi. Though Modi’s party has lost a few state assembly elections, the share of its votes has not gone down. Political alignments between opposition parties have caused the setback.
While students in a very few universities have protested, there are large number of universities and students in the country who are not protesting. Modi’s progressive policies and schemes are not being adequately publicized and communicated to the people in a way that common man can understand.

There is a lot of propaganda in the media that the Indian economy has slowed down and is in the verge of collapse. It is said that unemployment level in the country has reached an unmanageable level. It is also said that recession has set in India.
Unfortunately, knowledgeable discussions with facts and figures are not being publicized in the media, and most of the editors publish only articles and conduct discussions by those who agree with their views.
Modi speaks in Parliament and in all meetings only in Hindi, which large section of the countrymen in non-Hindi speaking regions do not understand. Several Central government schemes are given title in Hindi language such as Ayushman Bharat, Ujwala Yojana, Swachch Bharat, Sabka Viswas, Atal Bhujal Yojana.
These title are like Greek and Latin for people in the non-Hindi regions. Most of them do not understand these titles and think that they are really some matter not connected to them.
Today, major problem faced by Modi is due to the fact that his plans and schemes are not being explained to the people with facts and figures by credible spokespersons at different levels in various languages. It remains to be seen as to how Modi will tackle this issue.
The success of Modi in facing the onslaught of opposition parties, critics, sections of media and campaigners against him depend upon how he would deploy credible spokespersons all over the country to explain the issues in proper perspective. It would be tragic if his moves remain unexplained to large sections of countrymen, who may not have the acumen to readily understand the implications and significance of his policy measures.
---
*Trustee, Nandini Voice For The Deprived, Chennai

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Labour unrest in Manesar trigger tensions: Recently enacted labour codes blamed

By A Representative A civil rights coalition has expressed concern over recent developments in the industrial hub of Manesar in Haryana, where a series of labour actions and police responses have drawn attention. A statement, released by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), said it stood in solidarity with workers in IMT Manesar and other parts of the country, while also alleging instances of police excess during ongoing unrest.

Search This Blog