Modi to share progress of projects named after RSS icon Deendayal Upadhyay

PM expected to speak on the issue during BJP's national executive meeting on Monday

With Monday (September 25) marking the end of the Narendra Modi government's year-long birth centenary celebrations of Sangh Parivar icon Deendayal Upadhyaya, the Prime Minister is set to present before the nation a report card of the initiatives taken for the welfare of the poor.

Senior bureaucrats from ministries of rural and urban development power, skill development and some others have given presentations to the PM on the progress made in schemes launched under Upadhyaya's name since May 2014. The Modi government had also renamed some of the earlier schemes and re-launched these under Upadhyaya's name.

The government has decided to rename Mughalsarai railway station, where Upadhyaya was found dead in 1968, after the Jana Sangh founder and ideologue. An ONGC building in New Delhi that has been named after Upadhyaya. BJP-ruled states have also either commissioned statues of Upadhyaya or launched schemes under his name.

The PM would be presenting the report card in his speech at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national executive meeting on Monday. Usually, BJP national executive is not open to the media.

But the PM's speech, to be delivered Monday evening, would be open to media and televised by state broadcaster Doordarshan. Other media outlets will also be provided a live multi-camera feed of the speech.

The national executive will also pass an economic resolution, which comes on the heels of the government facing criticism for the economic downturn. Party sources said the PM could be expected to address the nation's concerns on economic issues.

A year back on September 25, 2016, at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national council meeting in Kozhikode, the PM had launched his government's plan to celebrate Upadhyaya's centenary as the 'year for the welfare of the downtrodden'. Upadhyaya's vision of 'antyodaya', or bringing succour to the poorest, has become the cornerstone of Modi government's programmes and policies.

Some of the schemes launched under Upadhayay's name are - Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, which integrated the National Urban Livelihood Mission and National Rural Livelihood Mission, for poverty alleviation; Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, for skill development of rural youth; Deendayal Upadhyaya Shramev Jayate Karyakram and Deendayal Upadhyaya Swaniyojan Yojana. The most ambitious of the schemes was the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, or rural electrification scheme.

The BJP is hosting an 'extended' national executive at New Delhi's Talkatora Stadium. Unlike routine national executives that are attended by 120-odd executive members and equal numbers of special invitees, this one would have all of the party's 336 MPs and 1,400 state legislators.