Modi's 12 years in office: Delhi BJP chief Malhotra hails India's transformation
Synopsis
At a Delhi BJP event marking Modi's 12th year in power, party chief Harsh Malhotra drew a sharp contrast with the pre-2014 era — invoking Rajiv Gandhi's '15 paise' remark — and announced that Delhi has topped up Ayushman Bharat cover to ₹10 lakh per family while pledging Yamuna cleanup within four years.
Key Takeaways
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra addressed a Viksit Bharat Conference in Model Town on 30 June to mark 12 years of PM Modi in office.
Malhotra cited Aadhaar-linked direct benefit transfers as eliminating the middleman in welfare delivery, contrasting it with the pre-2014 era.
The BJP government in Delhi has extended Ayushman Bharat with an additional ₹5 lakh top-up, making total health cover ₹10 lakh per family. ₹100 crore announced for development works in the Model Town Assembly constituency .
Malhotra pledged Yamuna river cleanup within four years , alleging AAP 's Arvind Kejriwal misused Central funds for the same purpose.
Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal called on party workers to ensure scheme benefits reach every Delhi household.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Harsh Malhotra on Tuesday, 30 June declared that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fundamentally different from the country it was before 2014, crediting the government's focus on transparency, development, and direct welfare delivery. Malhotra made the remarks at a Viksit Bharat Conference held in the Model Town Assembly constituency in New Delhi, part of a series organised by the Delhi BJP to mark 12 years of Modi in office.
Key Developments at the Conference
The event was also addressed by Chandni Chowk BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal. Local BJP MLA Ashok Goyal, Chandni Chowk BJP District President Arvind Garg, and District BJP In-charge Rajesh Bhatia welcomed and felicitated the two leaders. Municipal Councillors Vikesh Sethi, Sushil Jaunti, Renu Aggarwal, and former District President Sardar Kuldeep Singh were also present.
What Malhotra Said: Corruption, Aadhaar, and Direct Benefits
Malhotra invoked a remark attributed to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi — that only 15 paise of every ₹1 sent by the government actually reached the people — to contrast the pre-2014 era with the present. He argued that Modi's push to link Aadhaar with bank accounts and the launch of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, both announced from the Red Fort, had eliminated middlemen from the welfare delivery chain.
'The benefits of all government schemes are reaching beneficiaries directly into their bank accounts,' Malhotra said, adding that the Opposition had initially ridiculed these initiatives but the results now speak for themselves.
Ayushman Bharat and Delhi's Health Push
Malhotra highlighted that the previous Delhi government had not extended several Central schemes to residents, but after the BJP came to power in Delhi, the Ayushman Bharat health scheme was rolled out on priority. He said the Delhi government has supplemented the Central cover with an additional ₹5 lakh, raising the total benefit to ₹10 lakh per eligible family, with poor and senior citizens among the primary beneficiaries.
Yamuna Cleaning and Kejriwal Criticism
Turning to the Yamuna river, Malhotra alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal had repeatedly made unfulfilled promises about cleaning the river and had misused Central funds allocated for that purpose. He asserted that the responsibility now rests with the BJP government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and expressed confidence that the Yamuna would be cleaned within the next four years. He also noted that an announcement of ₹100 crore had been made for development works in the Model Town Assembly constituency.
Khandelwal's Message on Scheme Outreach
MP Khandelwal stressed that while Modi had delivered transformative schemes, the onus now lay on party workers to ensure the benefits reached every household in Delhi. The Viksit Bharat Conference series is expected to continue across other Delhi constituencies in the coming weeks.
Point of View
But the Ayushman Bharat top-up to ₹10 lakh is a concrete, verifiable claim that will face scrutiny on actual enrolment and claim-settlement numbers. The Yamuna pledge — cleanup in four years — is the boldest and most politically exposed commitment made at the event; every previous government has made a version of it. Whether the BJP can operationalise what its predecessors could not will define its Delhi legacy far more than conference rhetoric.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Viksit Bharat Conference organised by Delhi BJP?
It is a series of constituency-level events organised by the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to mark the completion of 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in office. The conferences are being held across Delhi assembly constituencies to communicate the government's welfare and development record to residents.
What did Delhi BJP chief Harsh Malhotra say about Ayushman Bharat in Delhi?
Malhotra said the BJP government in Delhi has extended the Ayushman Bharat health scheme with an additional ₹5 lakh top-up over the Central cover, bringing the total benefit to ₹10 lakh per eligible family. He said the scheme is available to poor citizens and senior citizens on priority.
What did Malhotra allege about the Yamuna river and the previous AAP government?
Malhotra alleged that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal repeatedly made unfulfilled promises about cleaning the Yamuna and misused Central government funds allocated for that purpose. He said the BJP government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has now taken responsibility and is confident of cleaning the river within four years.
What is the significance of the Aadhaar-bank account linkage that Malhotra highlighted?
Malhotra argued that linking Aadhaar with bank accounts eliminated middlemen from the welfare delivery chain, ensuring that benefits of government schemes reach beneficiaries directly. He contrasted this with an era when, as he quoted former PM Rajiv Gandhi, only 15 paise of every ₹1 sent by the government actually reached the people.
Who else spoke at the Model Town Viksit Bharat Conference?
Chandni Chowk BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal also addressed the conference, urging party workers to ensure that the benefits of PM Modi's schemes reach every household in Delhi. Local MLA Ashok Goyal, District President Arvind Garg, and District In-charge Rajesh Bhatia were also present.
