When Prime Minister Modi assumed office in June 2014, India was engrossed in sentiments of disappointment, disillusionment, and disenchantment. However, a new India, one that is assertive, aspirational, agile, audacious, and aware, has arisen in these eleven years. Under the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas,” the Modi Government has made development the new political idiom. For the first time, “Vikasvaad”, the politics of development, has become the central narrative, replacing decades of divisive appeasement and short-sighted populism.

Realising Deendayal Upadhyay’s idea of Antyodaya, the Government has been empowering the last mile for the last 11 years and has taken the marginalised from patronage to aspirations. Delhi, like much of India, has felt the profound impact of the Centre’s targeted welfare policies. Over 15 crore households across India now have tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission, an aspiration once considered too ambitious. In slums and unauthorised colonies across Delhi, Swachh Bharat toilets and LPG connections under Ujjwala have restored dignity to millions of women.

In my own outreach across North and East Delhi, I have met women who are now small entrepreneurs, thanks to MUDRA Yojana, which has disbursed over Rs 14.72 lakh crore in loans, 68 per cent of which have gone to women. From tailoring units in Seelampur to food stalls in Shahdara, this silent economic revolution is changing lives and the face of our society.

PM Modi’s governance model did not just deliver services. It redefined delivery itself. The JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile), which revolutionised welfare by cutting out middlemen, ensured direct benefits to over 80 crore citizens, including free food grains under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. This wasn’t charity, it was dignity restored.

India has also risen from a fragile economy to a global powerhouse. India today is not merely the world’s largest democracy; it is one of the fastest-growing major economies. Our exports touched $824.9 billion in 2024-25, up from $466 billion in 2013-14. This is not just a number; it reflects a shift in India’s self-confidence. Initiatives like

Make in India, PLI schemes, and the Start-up India movement have created lakhs of new jobs, with over 1.6 lakh start-ups now driving innovation and employment.

Even in Delhi, start-up culture has flourished. Young tech entrepreneurs from localities like Dwarka and Rohini are now part of India’s global digital story. The rollout of 5G in 99.6 per cent districts and the surge in UPI transactions to 1830 crore per month showcase how India has leapfrogged into a digital future, democratising access to services and opportunities.

Honourable Prime Minister has also taken Nari Shakti from tokenism to leadership. Under PM Modi, women’s empowerment has moved from token slogans to institutional transformation. Policies like Mission Shakti, paid maternity leave extension, law against Triple Talaq, and reservation for women in politics have laid a foundation for women-led development. Today, 73 per cent of rural home ownership under PMAY is in the name of women, 10 crore women are active in Self Help Groups, and over 35 crore MUDRA loans have been given to female entrepreneurs.

Delhi, which once witnessed women struggling for safety and opportunity, is now seeing a resurgence of confidence, from women athletes breaking barriers to young coders joining India’s start-up wave.

Youth and farmers have been the new vanguard of progress under the leadership os Shri Narendra Modi. Empowering the Amrit Peedhi, India’s youth, has been a cornerstone of this Government. The National Education Policy 2020, the expansion of IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS, and schemes like PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana and Rojgar Mela have provided both education and employment. Over 1.6 crore youth have been skilled, and more than 8.59 crore new EPFO subscribers indicate formal job creation at a record scale.

Equally significant is the respect and recognition now given to our farmers. The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi has provided Rs 3.7 lakh crore in direct income support, while schemes like Fasal Bima Yojana, Krishi Sinchayee yojana, and e-NAM have transformed agriculture into a sustainable and tech-driven sector. India is now a leader in foodgrains, milk, and millet production, with a strong cooperative backbone revived under “Sahkar se Samriddhi.”

Delhi lies at the heart of the ‘Idea of India’. As Delhi’s Chief Minister, I can state with confidence that the effects of the Modi Government are felt here. Previously not entitled to subsidies, the urban middle class today enjoys the benefits of tax reductions, inexpensive housing, metro expansions, and digital public infrastructure. Because of enhanced access to Government services, healthcare, sanitation, and connection, the ordinary Delhiite now enjoys a higher quality of life.

Delhi’s development, however, is not isolated; rather, it both benefits from and reflects India’s overall progress. Our administration is aware of the ambitions and worries of every Indian, from our youth’s aspirations to the elderly’s use of their Ayushman Bharat cards for medical care.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has led to a super secure nation and an engaged world. India’s rise has not been limited to its borders. The past 11 years have seen a strong and strategic foreign policy, with India emerging as a global player. Whether it was Vaccine Maitri, Operation Ganga, or hosting the G20 Summit, India is now not just participating; it is leading.

At home, Article 370 and 35A have been abrogated, sending a clear message: India’s unity and integrity are non-negotiable. Terrorism is no longer met with words but with firm responses, as seen in Surgical Strikes, Air Strikes, and most recently, Operation Sindoor. Our soldiers today are backed by the resolve of a Government committed to national security and Atmanirbharta. The road ahead leads to the journey from Amrit Kaal to Viksit Bharat. Prime Minister Modi’s leadership has lit a fire of ambition in every Indian heart. In this Amrit Kaal, we are not content with incremental growth. A Viksit Bharat that is just, strong, and firmly anchored in its civilisational values is what we envision as Viksit Bharat. As India’s spirit and emblem, Delhi will remain a lively companion on this adventure. We use the lessons, principles, and accomplishments of the previous 11 years as a compass as we gaze into 2047. This is not merely a government narrative. The tale of a New India is told here. An India that leads from the front, listens to the voiceless, and serves the last individual.

Every individual is the protagonist in this tale of development, from the housewife in Najafgarh to the programmer in Nehru Place.

(The writer is Chief Minister of Delhi.)