12 years of Modi government: 10 schemes that changed the everyday lives of millions of people. india news

Last updated:June 10, 2026, 11:19 IST

As PM Modi becomes India’s longest serving elected Prime Minister, here is a look at 10 welfare and distribution-focused schemes that have reshaped the daily lives of crores of Indians.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made a major political milestone for India Longest continuously elected Prime Minister Having completed 4,399 consecutive days in office and surpassing the elected tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru.

The milestone comes as Modi government It completed 12 years in power, a period in which welfare delivery has become one of the central pillars of its governance model.

From bank accounts and toilets to LPG cylinders, health cover, pucca houses, tap water and digital payments, many plans Launched or expanded since 2014, it has transformed the way millions of Indians access basic services.

Here are 10 major schemes and initiatives of the Modi government over the years that changed the everyday lives of crores of Indians.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana: Bank accounts for people deprived of banking facilities

Launched on 28 August 2014, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) became the foundation of the financial inclusion effort of the Modi government.

The scheme aims to provide a basic bank account to every unbanked adult. Accounts opened under PMJDY come with free RuPay debit card, built-in accident insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh and overdraft facility of up to Rs 10,000, providing formal banking and emergency support to millions of people.

So far, more than 58.3 crore beneficiaries have opened accounts under the scheme, with a balance of more than Rs 3 lakh crore lying in these accounts. The network of 13.55 lakh Bank Mitras has also helped in expanding branchless banking services, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.

The real importance of Jan Dhan was not just opening accounts. This laid the groundwork for direct benefit transfers, allowing welfare payments and subsidies to reach beneficiaries directly, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Swachh Bharat Mission: Dignity and safety of women

Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2 October 2014 as a nationwide sanitation and hygiene movement, but its greatest impact was inside rural households.

For millions of women, the construction of household toilets meant an end to the daily humiliation and safety risks of open defecation. It provided women with greater privacy, reduced the need to go out before dawn or after dark, and placed sanitation at the center of public health and sexual dignity.

More than 12 crore toilets have been built under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, while 753 districts have been declared ODF+. An ODF+ district is one that maintains its open defecation free status while ensuring solid and liquid waste management.

The Mission has also promoted village-level waste systems. More than 5.34 lakh villages now have solid waste management arrangements and 5.54 lakh villages have liquid waste management arrangements, showing how the scheme moved from toilet construction to comprehensive rural sanitation.

PM Awas Yojana: Permanent houses for poor families

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, implemented through its rural and urban arms – PMAY-Gramin and PMAY-Urban – focuses on affordable housing for the poor.

The scheme aims to help families move from kutcha houses or unsafe living spaces to pucca houses with better access to basic amenities. For many beneficiaries, home was not just shelter but also a long-term asset.

Under PMAY-G, the government has set a cumulative target of 4.95 crore rural households. According to PIB, out of the 4.12 crore houses allotted by August 2025, 2.82 crore houses had been completed. According to the official urban housing dashboard, under PMAY-U, 125.31 lakh houses have been sanctioned and 98.1 lakh have been completed.

An important feature of the scheme is the focus on ownership or co-ownership by women in many cases, giving women from poor families a stronger claim on family assets.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Clean Fuel

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched in May 2016, with the initial objective of providing LPG connections to five crore beneficiaries below the poverty line.

Before the scheme, many rural and low-income households depended on firewood, cow dung cakes or other biomass fuels for cooking. This meant that women often took a long time to collect fuel and had to endure the smoke inside the kitchen on a daily basis.

According to PIB, more than 10 crore LPG connections were provided under Ujjwala by July 2025. The scheme helped many families move to clean cooking fuel, while the government said women saved two to three hours per day that would previously have been spent collecting firewood.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: Health cover against medical debt

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, launched in September 2018, is one of the biggest healthcare initiatives of the Modi government.

The scheme provides free hospital treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per year to eligible families, helping poor and vulnerable families receive secondary and tertiary care during critical illnesses, surgeries and hospitalizations without going into debt.

According to the PM-JAY dashboard, more than 44 crore Ayushman cards have been generated and more than 10 crore hospital admissions have been authorised. More than 36,000 hospitals are also included in the panel of this scheme.

Jal Jeevan Mission: Tap water in rural homes

Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in 2019, aims to provide functional household tap connections to rural households and ensure safe drinking water supply in villages.

The plan addressed one of the most fundamental problems of rural life: the daily burden of fetching water, often borne by women and girls. By expanding piped water supply, the Mission sought to improve convenience, health and dignity in rural households.

When the mission began, only 3.23 crore rural households or 16.7 per cent had tap water connections. According to PIB, more than 12.59 crore additional rural households have been provided tap water connections, taking the total coverage to about 15.83 crore rural households or about 81.8 per cent.

The program also links welfare delivery to public health. Access to clean drinking water can reduce reliance on unsafe sources and help reduce the risk of waterborne diseases in areas affected by contaminated water.

PM-Kisan: Direct Income Support for Farmers

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana provides direct financial assistance to eligible farmer families.

Under the scheme, Rs 6,000 per year is transferred directly into the bank accounts of farmers in installments. For small and marginal farmers, this amount can help meet seasonal expenses related to seeds, fertilizers, agricultural inputs or household needs.

The government graphic shared around the 12-year milestone said Rs 4.3 lakh crore has been transferred under PM-Kisan. It also highlighted other farmer-centric measures including MSP payments and Kisan Credit Card.

The importance of PM-KISAN lies in its use of direct benefit transfers, reducing the role of intermediaries and making income support more predictable for eligible beneficiaries.

Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana: Loans for small businesses

PM Mudra Yojana was designed to support micro and small entrepreneurs through collateral-free loans.

The scheme has been used by small traders, vendors, service providers and young entrepreneurs who want to start or expand businesses like tailoring units, food stalls, mobile repair shops, boutiques and small retail shops.

According to the government graphic, Mudra loans worth Rs 40 lakh crore have been provided. The appeal of the scheme comes from its focus on self-employment, especially for those who do not have access to formal credit or large business networks.

For many beneficiaries, Mudra loans have served as working capital, helping them purchase equipment, stocks or infrastructure.

Digital India and UPI

digital india This has been one of the defining governance changes of the last decade, with the government pushing for online services, digital identity, digital payments and paperless access to documents.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) became the most visible part of this transformation. According to NPCI data, in May 2026, UPI processed 23.2 billion transactions worth Rs 29.90 lakh crore. From street vendors and auto drivers to shopping malls and restaurants, QR-code payments are now part of everyday transactions across India.

Digital platforms like DigiLocker have also made access to official documents easier. According to PIB, DigiLocker had 67.63 crore users as of March 5, 2026, while more than 950 crore documents were issued through the platform.

The wider impact has also been felt in welfare delivery. Bank accounts, Aadhaar-linked systems and digital payments helped create an infrastructure through which subsidies, benefits and services could be delivered more directly.

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana: Free food grains assistance

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana became one of the most important welfare measures during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scheme provides free food grains to eligible beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act, which provides food security assistance to poor households during periods of economic stress.

The Center extended the scheme for five years from January 1, 2024, for about 81.35 crore beneficiaries. Under the scheme, Antyodaya Anna Yojana families are entitled to 35 kg of food grains per month, while priority household beneficiaries get 5 kg of food grains per person per month.

According to PIB, till October 2025, 78.90 crore beneficiaries were getting free food grains. For millions of low-income families, the scheme has been central to household food security.

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