Melinda Gates lauds Modi for pro-poor initiatives

This is a piece of praise that must have brightened the day for India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At a time when Mr Modi is under onslaught from the opposition for being anti-farmer, Melinda Gates, the co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and wife of Microsoftfounder Bill Gates, has lauded the Indian leader for his pro-poor initiatives. In particular, she singled out Modi-led Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (Prime Minister’s People Money Scheme) for rich praise.

She also appreciated the efforts made by the Modi government for enhancing the immunisation coverage through the recently launched programme Indradhanush, which aims for expanding immunistion from current 65% to at least 90% children of India.

Earlier, Mrs Gates met India’s Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J. P. Nadda, and discussed various important areas of the health sector in which BGMF, which aims at improving people’s health and saving lives, could collaborate.

Mr Nadda appreciated significant contribution made by BGMF in some Indian states. He emphasisied on the government’s commitment towards a healthy India, and underscored that the government was taking several important initiatives to improve the health system in the country, and the BMGF is considered as an important partner in meeting country’s envisaged health goals.

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