PM Modi Turns 76: Major Schemes That Have Shaped 25 Years of Public Service
Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on September 17, 2026, marking an important milestone in a public life that spans 25 years. He began his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001 and became Prime Minister in 2014. Over the years, his governments have introduced a broad range of programmes focused on financial inclusion, sanitation, healthcare, housing, clean cooking fuel, digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship and manufacturing.
As Modiji completes another year, these initiatives offer a view of the policy priorities that have defined much of his years in public office. Several programmes have also expanded significantly since their launch, becoming part of India's wider development and public-service delivery framework.
From Financial Inclusion to Direct Access
One of the earliest major initiatives after Modiji became Prime Minister was the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, launched in 2014. The programme aimed to bring people without access to formal banking into the financial system by providing basic bank accounts and access to related financial services.
The scale of Jan Dhan has grown considerably. According to the Department of Financial Services, there were 59.21 crore beneficiaries under the scheme as of September 2, 2026, with deposits of more than ₹3.17 lakh crore. The expansion of bank accounts has also created infrastructure through which government benefits can be transferred directly to beneficiaries.
This emphasis on financial inclusion later became closely connected with India's expanding digital economy, particularly through mobile banking and digital payments.
Swachh Bharat: Putting Sanitation at the Centre
The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched on October 2, 2014, brought sanitation and cleanliness into the centre of a nationwide public campaign. A major objective was to expand access to household toilets and reduce open defecation, particularly in rural areas.
The programme subsequently developed beyond toilet construction, with greater attention to sustaining sanitation practices and improving solid and liquid waste management. Its large-scale public participation also made cleanliness a prominent part of India's development discourse.
Ujjwala Yojana and Clean Cooking Fuel
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, launched in 2016, focused on expanding access to LPG connections among women from eligible low-income households. The initiative sought to help families move away from traditional cooking fuels and improve access to cleaner cooking energy.
The scheme has expanded substantially since its introduction. Official data show that more than 10.56 crore PMUY connections had been released by September 10, 2026. The latest extension alone accounted for more than 24 lakh additional connections.
The programme has consequently become an important component of household-level welfare policy, particularly in rural and economically vulnerable communities.
Ayushman Bharat and the Focus on Healthcare
Healthcare became another major area of intervention with the launch of Ayushman Bharat in 2018. Its Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana component was designed to provide financial protection for eligible families requiring hospitalisation.
The wider Ayushman Bharat framework also includes a primary healthcare component, reflecting an approach that combines financial assistance for hospital treatment with efforts to strengthen healthcare closer to communities.
Digital India and a New Public-Service Infrastructure
The Digital India programme, launched in 2015, sought to expand digital infrastructure and improve access to government services through technology. Over the past decade, India's digital ecosystem has expanded rapidly, affecting banking, payments, public services and commercial transactions.
UPI has become one of the most visible examples of this transformation. According to NPCI's latest statistics, UPI recorded 24.51 billion transactions worth about ₹29.82 lakh crore in August 2026.
The development of such digital infrastructure has also strengthened the connection between bank accounts, mobile services and digital transactions, creating a broader ecosystem for financial and public-service access.
Housing, Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has focused on expanding access to affordable housing for eligible families in rural and urban areas. Housing has increasingly been linked with other basic amenities, including sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel and water.
At the same time, initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana have focused on improving access to institutional credit for micro and small businesses. The objective has been to support entrepreneurs and self-employment by making formal credit more accessible to smaller enterprises.
The Startup India initiative, launched in 2016, added another dimension by focusing on innovation and new businesses. The programme sought to create a more supportive ecosystem through measures related to regulation, funding, incubation and intellectual property.
Make in India and the Manufacturing Push
Another major initiative has been Make in India, launched in 2014 with the objective of increasing manufacturing, attracting investment and strengthening India's position in global production networks.
The manufacturing push has subsequently extended into sectors including electronics, automobiles, defence and semiconductors. Production-linked incentive programmes have also been introduced across selected industries to encourage domestic production and strengthen supply chains.
The broader objective has been to combine domestic manufacturing with India's growing consumer market, technological capabilities and expanding role in international trade.
A Decade of Welfare, Technology and Infrastructure
Taken together, these programmes show several recurring themes in the policy framework developed during Modiji's years in public office. Financial inclusion has been connected with digital payments, welfare programmes have increasingly used technology for delivery, and household schemes have focused on basic amenities such as housing, sanitation and cooking fuel.
At the same time, initiatives supporting startups, small businesses and manufacturing have attempted to connect welfare and inclusion with broader economic opportunities. This combination of social programmes, digital infrastructure and economic initiatives has become a defining feature of India's development policy over the past decade.
The MGMM Outlook
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday marks 25 years of public service, during which a wide range of initiatives have focused on financial inclusion, sanitation, healthcare, housing, clean cooking fuel, digital services, entrepreneurship and manufacturing. Programmes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Digital India and PM Awas Yojana have expanded their reach over the years, while platforms such as UPI have become an important part of India’s rapidly developing digital ecosystem. Together, these initiatives reflect an emphasis on widening access to essential services and strengthening the systems through which citizens can participate in the formal economy.
The broader policy approach has also connected welfare with economic opportunity through initiatives such as Mudra, Startup India and Make in India. Financial access, digital infrastructure, basic amenities, entrepreneurship and domestic manufacturing have increasingly developed as interconnected areas of national development. As these programmes continue to evolve, their sustained implementation and measurable outcomes will remain important in determining their long-term impact. The scale and continuity of these initiatives nevertheless represent significant features of the development and public-service framework that has emerged during Modi’s years in public life.
(Sources: News18, NDTV, Moneycontrol)
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