On February 27, 2023, the PM of India, Shri Narendra Modi, addresses a Budget Webinar on the subject of ‘Reaching the last mile’. The webinar was the fourth of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for the effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.
At the outset of his speech, the Prime Minister acknowledged the importance of the debate on the budget in Parliament and said that the government has started a new tradition of brainstorming with the stakeholders after the budget in the last few years. He highlights the importance of good governance and constant monitoring for achieving the desired goals.
The Prime Minister gave the example of new approaches in the immunization and vaccine coverage in Mission Indradhanush and the Corona pandemic to illustrate the power of good governance in the last mile delivery. He explained the thinking behind the policy of saturation and how it complements the approach of reaching the last mile.
The Prime Minister cited examples of PM SVANidhi Scheme, the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities, 5 lakh common service centers in villages, and milestones of 10 crore cases of telemedicine to highlight this approach.
The PM said that this year’s budget has paid special attention to taking the mantra of reaching the last mile to tribal and rural areas. He talked about the allocation of thousands of crore rupees to the Jal Jeevan Mission and the construction of more than 30 thousand Amrit Sarovar. He highlights the need to create a mechanism for new water connections and the pattern of water consumption.
The Prime Minister also talked about linking housing with technology to finding ways of making strong but affordable houses and benefiting from solar power. He highlighted the allocation of Rs 80 thousand crore for housing for the poor in this year’s budget. The Prime Minister talked about the importance of tribal development and the allocations for the staffing of the Eklavya Residential Schools.
The Prime Minister mentioned the Aspirational District Program as a successful model in terms of Reaching The Last Mile and announced the start of an Aspirational Block program in 500 blocks of the country. He highlights the need to create an environment of competition with each other at the block level.
