New Delhi [India], January 1 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended New Year greetings to the nation, wishing everyone an excellent 2026.

In a message shared on X, the Prime Minister expressed hope that the year ahead would bring good health and prosperity to all. He said he prays for success in people's efforts and fulfilment in all that they do.

The Prime Minister also prayed for peace and happiness in society, extending his best wishes for harmony and well-being as the country enters the new year.

Earlier, Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi also took to X to wish people a happy New Year 2026, expressing hope that the year would bring good health, happiness, and success to everyone.

Across India, the New Year 2026 was welcomed with fireworks, prayers and public gatherings. Cities, hill towns and religious centres witnessed celebrations as people marked the occasion with family and friends.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 50th meeting of PRAGATI - the ICT-enabled multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation - earlier today, marking a significant milestone in a decade-long journey of cooperative, outcome-driven governance under his leadership.

The milestone underscores how technology-enabled leadership, real-time monitoring, and sustained Centre-State collaboration have translated national priorities into measurable on-the-ground outcomes, an official release said.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister reviewed five critical infrastructure projects across sectors, including roads, railways, power, water resources, and coal. These projects span five States and have a cumulative cost of more than Rs 40,000 crore.

Prime Minister noted that over the years, the PRAGATI-led ecosystem has helped accelerate projects worth more than Rs 85 lakh crore and supported the on-ground implementation of major welfare programmes at scale.

Prime Minister said that since 2014, the government has worked to institutionalise delivery and accountability, creating a system where work is pursued with consistent follow-up and completed within timelines and budgets. He said projects that were started earlier but left incomplete or forgotten have been revived and completed in the national interest.

Prime Minister concluded by stating that PRAGATI@50 is not merely a milestone; it is a commitment. PRAGATI must be strengthened further in the years ahead to ensure faster execution, higher quality, and measurable outcomes for citizens.

On the occasion of the 50th PRAGATI milestone, the Cabinet Secretary made a brief presentation highlighting PRAGATI's key achievements and outlining how it has reshaped India's monitoring and coordination ecosystem, strengthening inter-ministerial and Centre-State follow-through, and reinforcing a culture of time-bound closure, which resulted in faster implementation of projects, improved last-mile delivery of Schemes and Programmes and quality resolution of public grievances. (ANI)