Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on 14 June 2025 praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 12 years in office, describing the period as one of 'service, good governance and public welfare' that transformed millions of lives and elevated India's standing on the world stage. Speaking at a media interaction in Jaipur, Sharma also congratulated Modi on becoming the country's longest-serving elected Prime Minister.

Key Governance Milestones Cited

Chief Minister Sharma recalled that when Modi assumed office in 2014, India was contending with corruption, inflation, terrorism, Naxalism and policy paralysis. He argued that the government systematically addressed each of these challenges, setting what he called 'new benchmarks in governance, development and public welfare.'

Among the central schemes highlighted, Sharma pointed to welfare deliveries including permanent housing, electricity connections, cooking gas, drinking water and sanitation for crore of families. He said financial inclusion was broadened through Jan Dhan accounts, with more than 80 crore people benefiting from free ration schemes and over 60 crore citizens receiving health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh under government health programmes. These interventions, he claimed, helped more than 25 crore people rise out of poverty.

Youth, Women and Farmers

Sharma said Modi had consistently viewed India's youth as its greatest strength, citing Skill India, Startup India, digital innovation and sports development as avenues that opened new opportunities for young Indians. He also highlighted what he termed a new era of 'women-led development', crediting schemes such as Ujjwala, PM Awas Yojana, Mudra Yojana and Lakhpati Didi with enhancing women's participation in economic and social life.

On agriculture, Sharma described farmers as a key pillar of a Developed India and noted central measures spanning the entire value chain — from quality seeds and irrigation to minimum support price hikes and the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

Security and Bold Policy Decisions

The Chief Minister credited the Modi government with taking decisive steps on national security, citing surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor as actions that sent a strong message against terrorism. He also listed major structural reforms — the abrogation of Article 370, the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), One Rank One Pension (OROP) and the introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — as examples of bold governance.

Rajasthan's Share of Central Schemes

Sharma said Rajasthan had been a significant beneficiary of central programmes over the past decade. He stated that more than 34 lakh houses had been built under PM Awas Yojana, over 63 lakh tap water connections provided, and nearly 89 lakh toilets constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). Additionally, 3.83 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in the state.

On rural connectivity, Sharma noted that road construction under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana had grown from approximately 53,000 km before 2014 to more than 86,000 km today. State BJP President Madan Rathore, also present at the event, said Modi had enhanced India's global prestige while the Bhajan Lal Sharma government had given Rajasthan's development a new direction.

As Modi's tenure enters its thirteenth year, the BJP's narrative in states like Rajasthan will increasingly hinge on translating these headline welfare numbers into measurable improvements in living standards ahead of future electoral cycles.