GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 7 completed 25 years as the elected head of a government, marking 25 years since he first took oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001.
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Modi served as Gujarat Chief Minister from 2001 to 2014 before becoming Prime Minister in 2014. He was sworn in for a second term in 2019 and a third term in 2024. A policy record released to mark the milestone outlines initiatives and government figures from his tenure in Gujarat and at the Centre across areas including welfare, infrastructure, water and sanitation, healthcare, education, power, manufacturing, defence and technology.
During his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, his government introduced the SWAGAT online grievance redressal system in 2003, allowing citizens to raise grievances directly with district officials and the Chief Minister's Office. The system received the United Nations Public Service Award in 2010.
Another initiative during his Gujarat tenure was the Jyotigram Yojana, which separated rural electricity feeders to provide three-phase power to households while regulating electricity supplied to agricultural tube wells. The policy record also cites village-level Paani Samitis for drinking water management, restoration of traditional water bodies and the Sujalam Sufalam Yojana for water conservation and recharge.
In sanitation, the Nirmal Gujarat initiative was launched as a statewide cleanliness and sanitation programme. According to the policy record, the number of Gujarat villages receiving national cleanliness awards increased from one in 2005 to 739 by 2008, while urban slum toilet coverage increased from 44% to 82%.
His Gujarat tenure also included programmes focused on girls' education and specialised institutions. The Kanya Kelavani and Shala Praveshotsav campaigns were launched in 2003 to increase girls' enrolment and reduce school dropouts. The policy record also cites the establishment of institutions including Rashtriya Raksha University and Gujarat Forensic Sciences University, which was later elevated to National Forensic Sciences University.
As Prime Minister, the policy record highlights welfare programmes including the Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. According to the record, the Jal Jeevan Mission had provided tap-water connections to more than 15.79 crore rural households, while more than 12.23 crore household toilets had been built under the Swachh Bharat Mission. PM Awas Yojana had sanctioned 4.18 crore houses, while Ujjwala had released more than 10 crore LPG connections.
Healthcare has also been a major area covered in the record. The Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme provides health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year. According to the policy record, it had funded 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore, with 48.51 crore Ayushman cards issued. Between 2014 and 2026, the number of AIIMS increased from eight to 23, while medical colleges increased from 387 to 845 and MBBS seats from 51,348 to 1,39,000.
The policy record also cites expansion in financial inclusion through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. It states that the scheme had 59.09 crore accounts as of August 19, 2026, with women holding 55.7% of the accounts. It also states that Direct Benefit Transfer, integrated with Aadhaar authentication across more than 300 schemes, had resulted in savings of over ₹5.14 lakh crore, according to government figures.
Transport infrastructure is another area highlighted in the record. Highway construction increased from around 11.6 km per day in 2014 to more than 30 km per day, while the national highway network crossed 1.46 lakh km. Between 2014 and 2026, the number of airports increased from 74 to 164, while the metro network expanded from 248 km to 1,155 km.
In the economic and technology sectors, the record highlights the expansion of India's startup ecosystem, manufacturing and renewable energy. The number of DPIIT-recognised startups increased from 500 in 2014 to more than 2.57 lakh. It also records an increase in solar capacity from 2.6 GW in 2014 to 168 GW in 2026.
The record also covers women's representation, defence and space programmes. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in 2023, provides for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. According to the record, defence exports increased from ₹686 crore in 2014 to ₹38,424 crore by mid-2026. It also cites the Chandrayaan-3 landing in 2023 and an increase in foreign satellites launched from 35 in 2014 to 434 in 2026.
The policy record also covers the government's response to crises, including rehabilitation following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. It states that more than 80 crore people received free rations under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana during the pandemic, while more than 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in India by December 2022.
The record of Modi's 25 years as an elected head of government covers initiatives and government figures across welfare, infrastructure, healthcare, education, economy, technology, defence and other sectors.
