The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today invoked the poetry of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to state that the poor do not need support (sahaara), but strength (shakti). He was speaking at the launch of three social security schemes: Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension Yojana, in Kolkata today. The schemes were launched in simultaneous functions at 115 venues across the country.
"It is not my prayer that you will save me from difficulties
Give me the strength to overcome the difficulty
Do not take away my burdens or console me
Give me the capacity to bear my burden," the Prime Minister said, quoting from Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.
The Prime Minister said Kolkata had been chosen for the launch of these schemes because, to quote Shri Gopal Krishna Gokhale, "what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow."
The Prime Minister said that it was indeed a matter of great pain that 80 to 90 percent of the people in India do not have access to insurance and pension. He said that the fruits of development must reach the poorest of the poor, and therefore, the Union Government had launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana under which 15 lakh accounts had been opened. Now, he added, Jan Dhan was being taken a step forward to Jan Suraksha with the launch of these social security schemes. He said Jan Dhan Yojana helped bank the unbanked, Mudra Bank would help fund the unfunded, and these schemes would help secure the unsecured. He said the schemes had been launched on trial basis since May 1st, 2015, and 5 crore, 5 lakh people had enrolled for them so far.
The Governor of West Bengal Shri Keshrinath Tripathi, The Chief Minister of West Bengal Ms. Mamata Banerjee, and Union Ministers Shri Jayant Sinha and Shri Babul Supriyo were present on the occasion.
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