PM Modi Becomes India’s Longest-Serving Continuously Elected PM With 4399 Days In Office, Surpassing Nehru’s Record

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today scripted a new chapter in India's political history by becoming the country's longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister, completing 4,399 consecutive days in office and surpassing the record held by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

The milestone comes as the PM Modi-led government completes 12 years at the Centre, marking a journey that began on May 26, 2014, when the BJP secured a historic majority in the Lok Sabha elections. Modi subsequently returned to power with stronger mandates in 2019 and 2024, becoming only the second Prime Minister after Nehru to lead the country for three consecutive terms.

The BJP celebrated the occasion by putting up banners across the national capital, describing the achievement as a landmark moment in India's democratic journey. The government, meanwhile, released a detailed account of its work over the past 12 years, outlining what it described as a transformation in welfare delivery, financial inclusion, infrastructure development, healthcare access and support for farmers and the middle class.

According to the report, more than 25 crore Indians have been lifted out of multidimensional poverty during the past decade, while over 81 crore people continue to receive free food grains under government welfare programmes. The document attributes the reduction in poverty to targeted schemes and direct benefit transfers aimed at ensuring last-mile delivery of services.

The government has also highlighted financial inclusion as one of its biggest achievements. More than 58 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened, bringing millions of first-time beneficiaries into the formal banking system. The report states that over Rs 51 lakh crore has been transferred through the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) framework, which it says has improved transparency and reduced leakages in welfare delivery.

On housing and basic amenities, the government claims that over four crore families have been provided pucca houses under various housing schemes. Nearly 16 crore rural households have been connected to tap water under the Jal Jeevan Mission, while more than 10 crore LPG connections have been provided through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. The report notes that around 12 crore toilets have been constructed, helping make over five lakh villages free from open defecation.

The Centre has also projected farmers' welfare as a key pillar of its governance model. The report states that more than Rs 4.3 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Procurement under the Minimum Support Price regime has expanded to cover 22 crops, while nearly eight crore Kisan Credit Card accounts have been issued to improve access to institutional credit. The agriculture budget has also seen a substantial increase compared to 2014 levels.

In healthcare, the government has cited Ayushman Bharat as one of its flagship interventions, claiming that health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh now extends to more than 60 crore people. More than 12 crore patients have reportedly received treatment under the scheme, resulting in savings exceeding Rs 1.25 lakh crore for beneficiaries. The report further notes that the number of AIIMS has increased from eight to 23, while medical colleges and MBBS seats have expanded significantly over the past decade.

For the middle class, the government has pointed to tax reforms and improvements in connectivity and digital infrastructure. The report notes that annual income up to Rs 12.75 lakh under the new tax regime has been made tax-free, internet data costs have fallen sharply from Rs 269 per GB in 2014 to around Rs 8-10, and metro rail services have expanded from just five cities in 2014 to 26 cities today. India now has a metro network spanning 1,155 kilometres, which the government describes as the third-largest in the world.

The report also highlights the rise of India's digital economy, noting that UPI transactions now average more than 66 crore per day, while over 10 crore people use the UMANG platform to access thousands of government services digitally. Startup registrations have crossed 2.2 lakh, generating more than 23 lakh jobs, according to the government's assessment.

As Prime Minister Modi crossed the 4,399-day mark, the milestone not only underlined his electoral longevity but also capped 12 years of a government that has sought to redefine welfare delivery through technology, direct transfers and large-scale flagship schemes.

For the BJP, the record is being projected as an endorsement of leadership continuity and public trust; for India's political landscape, it marks a historic moment with Modi overtaking a benchmark that had stood since the early decades of the Republic.

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