Page 30 - NIS English 1-15 Oct, 2026

SPECIAL REPORT

A Year Journey of Good Governance

25 Challenges, 25 Years A Leader’s Journey

This 25-year journey is not just a list of 25 challenges; it is the story of decisions made amid
crises and the transformations that followed. The guiding principle of this journey is to
view a crisis not as an end, but as the beginning of a new resolve. With this principle, Prime
Minister Modi has steered the nation forward over the past 25 years...

1. Challenges in Gujarat: An 3. The First Electoral Test:
Opportunity for a New Beginning Emerging Stronger
In October 2001, Narendra Modi took the oath In 2002, Narendra Modi dissolved the Legislative
as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The state was Assembly and sought a mandate based on just 14
grappling with an earthquake, drought, and a months of work. In the December elections, the BJP
cooperative bank crisis. Senior officials were rushed secured 127 out of 182 seats and garnered 49.85 per
to Kutch to accelerate reconstruction efforts. Priority cent of the vote.
was given to check dams, canal expansion, and
water conservation. In 2003, the country’s first State 4. Stability Amid the Threat
Disaster Management Act was enacted.
of Terrorism
2. Breaking Free from The Akshardham attack occurred in September
the Cycle of Violence 2002, followed by 21 bomb blasts in Ahmedabad
within a span of 70 minutes in July 2008. The
The Godhra incident in February 2002 and the authorities prevented these incidents from escalating
subsequent violence created a grave situation. Chief into communal violence, strengthened security, and
Minister Narendra Modi halted the cycle of violence maintained the state’s trajectory.
by focusing on law and order, investment, and
employment; such violence has not recurred in the 24 5. From Water Scarcity
years since.
to Water Security
The Narmada Dam project remained stalled for
decades after 1961. Over 180,000 check dams were
constructed, and water was supplied through initiatives
like the ‘Sujalam Sufalam’ and ‘SAUNI’ schemes. The
dam reached its full height in 2017, providing drinking
water to more than 9,000 villages and 170 towns.
Instead of merely waiting for water, Gujarat began
driving development alongside water management.

6. A New System Post-Floods

In 2006, floods in the Tapi River submerged
approximately 95 per cent of Surat, prompting the
strengthening of drainage and early-warning systems.
Eight years later, during the Jammu & Kashmir floods,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Srinagar and
returned later to celebrate Diwali. The approach
remained consistent: understanding the situation, acting
swiftly, and addressing ground-level complexities.

28 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || Oct 1-15, 2026