Kolkata : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched three social security initiatives, one pension and two insurance schemes, in Kolkata.
The Prime Minister launched the programme by pressing a remote control switch. The schemes will be simultaneously launched from 115 places of the country. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared the dais with Modi when he launched the schemes.
Before the beginning of the programme at Nazural Mancha in South Kolkata, both Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee held unscheduled discussion in the green room of the auditorium for nearly half an hour.
The Prime Minister has come to the state for a two-day visit . The three mega social security initiatives that were launched are ”Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana” (PMSBY), ”Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana” (PMJJBY) and ”Atal Pension Yojana”.
In his address, the Prime Minister said that in India more than 80 to 90 percent people do not have any insurance policy and also do not get any pension.
“Other leaders launch schemes to gain benefits during polls. But I bring schemes to you as your pradhaan sewak. Your life is secure,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that more than 15 crore Indians have opened their bank account under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana”, scheme. Around 15,800 crore people have deposited money in the scheme. He said that poor people of the country do not need anybody’s help, but they need is strength. “We have to give them the strength,” he said.
“I am happy that when we launched Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana, it led to opening of 15 crore accounts”, Modi said.
The Prime Minister said there were more than 35 lakh people who got a meagre pension ranging from one rupee to Rs 250.
“Considering the plight of the people, my government has fixed the lowest pension to Rs 1000 per month,” he said. “There are people who get pension as low as Rs 7 and Rs 10. These people need to travel long distance to collect their pension. They have to spend much more than the pension they get,” he said. “The poor don’t need support. They need empowerment,” he said. The prime minister regretted that many people still do not have bank accounts.
“Banks were nationalised for the poor but did we see the poor in the banks? So many people do not have access to pension and insurance.” The prime minister also appreciated the contribution of small businessmen of the country in the nation’s economy. He said nearly five core people run small business across the country.
These businessmen help generate employment of another 14 crore people of the country. He said often the small businessmen took loan from private financer who charged then heavy interest rates. To help the small businessmen of the country, the Union Government has introduced a new scheme Mudra Bank from where small businessmen would be able to get small loan from the banks.
