AMRITSAR, October 7, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s quarter-century leadership as the head of government has revitalized the spirit of nationalism, fostered unprecedented public participation, and laid a robust foundation to transform India into a fully developed nation by 2047, declared Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Satnam Singh Sandhu on Wednesday.
Leading the high-profile ‘Seva Jyoti Yatra’ torch march in Amritsar to mark the 25th anniversary of Narendra Modi entering public executive office—which began on October 7, 2001, when he took oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat—Sandhu addressed a massive gathering of party leaders, workers, and local residents.
He emphasized that the defining hallmark of this 25-year tenure is the self-reliance and unshakeable self-confidence imparted to Indian citizens.
He noted that under the Prime Minister’s ‘Nation First’ directive, governance has been elevated beyond short-term electoral cycles to establish long-term structural milestones.
Highlighting key socio-economic and technological benchmarks achieved under PM Modi’s stewardship, the Parliamentarian referenced India’s record-breaking combined merchandise and services exports reaching $825.3 billion in 2024–25.
He also cited the massive success of financial inclusion through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, which grew to encompass 59.09 crore bank accounts by August 19, 2026, with women holding over 32.92 crore of these accounts.
On scientific achievements, Sandhu lauded the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, which positioned India as the fourth country to execute a soft landing on the Moon and the first to explore its uncharted south polar zone, calling it a testament to indigenous technological mastery.
Turning his focus to regional governance, Sandhu delivered a sharp assessment of Punjab’s present economic and social trajectory. “Punjab historically served as the food bowl of the nation, the state currently faces compounding structural challenges, including a precarious debt burden projected to touch approximately Rs 4.48 lakh crore by the close of FY 2026–27, alongside severe groundwater depletion and systemic agricultural distress,” he said.
Addressing the youth crisis, Sandhu stressed that creating a drug-free Punjab is an essential prerequisite for economic recovery and advocated for a comprehensive, two-pronged strategy pairing stringent law enforcement against drug cartels with accessible clinical rehabilitation, sports infrastructure, and job creation to keep young people from emigrating or falling into addiction.
Asserting that the upcoming state Assembly elections represent a pivotal turning point, Sandhu stated that a BJP-led administration is imperative to align Punjab’s state finances, agricultural policy, and industrial growth with the central vision of ‘Viksit Bharat.’
Prominent party dignitaries participating in the torch march included BJP Amritsar district president Salil Kapoor, Gurpartap Singh Tikka, Dr. Ram Chawla, Sukhminder Singh Pintu (Amritsar North), and Kumar Amit Valmiki (Amritsar West).
