PM Modi Cites World Bank Report on Lifting 500M from Extreme Poverty

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday invoked authoritative global economic assessments to underscore India's historic strides in social welfare and urban modernization, asserting that nearly 500 million people have successfully broken free from the cycle of extreme poverty over the past 10 to 12 years. Addressing the public via video conferencing during the high-profile inauguration of the 23-kilometer-long Pune Metro Pink Line, the Prime Minister pointed out that previous political dispensations treated poverty eradication primarily as a convenient campaign slogan, whereas the current administration has systematically dismantled grassroots deprivation through tangible infrastructure delivery, digital welfare transfers, and direct asset creation. Linking rapid macroeconomic expansion directly to aggressive poverty alleviation, Modi maintained that targeted investments in mass transit, clean sanitation, piped drinking water, pucca housing, and subsidized cooking gas have laid an unshakeable foundation for the vision of a Viksit Bharat.Transforming Urban Mobility: Metro Rail Network Expands Fivefold to 1,200 Kilometers NationwideHighlighting the structural turnaround achieved in the country's urban transport ecosystem since 2014, the Prime Minister observed that India’s operational metro rail footprint has scaled dramatically from an initial 248 kilometers to nearly 1,200 kilometers, positioning the nation among the top three largest metro networks globally. While rapid rail connectivity was previously confined to just five metropolitan centers, state-of-the-art metro networks now run across 26 major cities, ferrying more than 10 million daily commuters safely and efficiently. Modi emphasized that when the National Democratic Alliance was entrusted with governance, it prioritized quality-of-life interventions for urban middle-class families by building decongested, reliable transit backbones designed to withstand future municipal growth.Women-Led Operations and IT Hub Connectivity: ₹8,300 Crore Pune Metro Pink Line Dedicated to PublicThe newly launched 23-kilometer Pink Line of the Pune Metro, constructed at a financial outlay exceeding ₹8,300 crore, marks a major infrastructure breakthrough for Maharashtra's premier technology and education center. Seamlessly linking the massive IT industrial corridor of Hinjewadi to the central District Court interchange station, the corridor will slash commute times for hundreds of thousands of corporate employees and local residents. In an inspiring demonstration of gender inclusion and institutional capability, the entire operational and technical management of the Pink Line will be driven by women personnel. Further expanding Pune’s mass transit reach, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Pune Metro Phase 2, an ambitious expansion estimated at approximately ₹13,500 crore that will construct four dedicated corridors—Lines 2A, 2B, 4, and 4A.Unwavering Support for Drought-Hit Maharashtra Farmers: PM Modi Reaffirms PM-KISAN CommitmentsExtending solidarity to agrarian communities contending with drought conditions across parts of Maharashtra, Prime Minister Modi assured farmers of the Union government's steadfast financial and institutional backing. Highlighting direct income support channels through the flagship PM-KISAN scheme, the Prime Minister appealed to citizens across India to keep hardworking agricultural families in their thoughts during the ongoing festive period. Reaffirming his administration's farmer-first commitment, Modi urged local communities to ensure that the joy and prosperity of Diwali reach the homes of drought-affected cultivators, reiterating that rural empowerment and agricultural resilience remain central pillars of the nation's economic trajectory.