Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said action against corruption and corrupt people has been a priority of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN) at Palasamudram in Sri Sathyasai district, Modi said taxpayers’ money was being utilized appropriately and whatever tax was collected It is being given back to the people in various forms.
He also claimed that after BJP came to power, the people of this country saved about Rs 2.5 lakh crore in tax savings and 10 crore fake names have been removed from documents.
“In the last 10 years, we have empowered the poor, farmers, women and youth. In the last 10 years, approximately 10 crore fake names have been removed from documents. Today every money sent from Delhi (Centre) reaches the bank account of the beneficiary who is entitled to it. The fight against corruption and action against corrupt people has been a priority for the government,” the PM said.
Modi further said that tax reforms such as implementation of GST and simplified income tax system were brought during the last 10 years, which resulted in record tax collections.
Earlier there used to be different tax systems which were difficult for common citizens to understand. He said that due to lack of transparency, honest taxpayers and businessmen are facing problems.
Pointing towards the introduction of faceless tax assessment system in the country, Modi said that due to these reforms, record tax collection is being seen in the country today.
Referring to the tax benefits provided by his government, Modi said the tax exemption limit has been increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 7 lakh. Besides, the number of taxpayers in the country is also continuously increasing.
Modi said whatever tax was collected from the people was returned to them and called it a message of good governance and Ram Rajya.
Unlike the previous government at the Centre, which allegedly stalled, stalled and diverted projects, causing huge losses to the country, he said the current government is paying special attention to optimum utilization of resources, similar to Ram Rajya.
Furthermore, Modi said the central government took into account the cost of the projects and insisted on completing them on time.
Remembering Thiruvalluvar, the Prime Minister quoted the great Tamil saint and underlined the role of revenue officials in collecting taxes which leads to the welfare of the people in a democracy.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited the historic Veerabhadra temple in Lepakshi and offered prayers wearing a traditional dhoti. She teamed the white dhoti with a white kurta and draped a brown shawl.
Modi sang songs in praise of Lord Ram, listened to special hymns sung in Telugu praising the deity and also watched a puppet show of Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Ravana on the epic Ramayana.
Apart from participating in the rituals, the guides also told Modi about the importance of the temple, which has great significance in the Ramayana.
The ancient Lepakshi temple complex is famous for its mythological grandeur and also has temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Papanatheshwar, Raghunath, Rama and other deities.
The PM said he is undergoing special 11-day rituals before the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) at the temple in Ayodhya Dham and expressed his gratitude for getting blessings at the temple during this period.
Acknowledging the atmosphere of Ram devotion prevalent in the country, Modi pointed out that the inspiration of Lord Ram goes beyond devotion.
According to him, Lord Ram is a symbol of good governance and can be a big inspiration for NACIN also. He said, the role of NACIN is to provide the country with a modern ecosystem that will ease trade and business in the country.
Citing a report released by NITI Aayog, he said that due to the efforts of his government, about 25 crore people have been brought out of poverty in the last 9 years.
Terming the achievement as ‘historic’ and ‘unprecedented’, Modi said it was a result of the government’s priority for the welfare of the poor since coming to power in 2014.
His view was that if the poor of this country are given means and resources, they have the ability to defeat poverty.
The PM said that the Center has spent money on health, education, employment, self-employment and increasing facilities for the poor.
Attributing the decline in poverty to the rise of the neo-middle class, he said the world has realized the growth potential of the neo-middle class and their contribution to economic activity.
He believed that poverty could be reduced in India, which would instill a new belief in everyone and increase self-confidence in the country.
The Prime Minister in his speech was rich in the parables and virtues of Ramayana and how they can be emulated by all.
The event was also attended by Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
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