Peerzada Masarat Shah
New Delhi, Aug 22 (BuzzBytes): Saying that reform across every sector is part of the Government’s conviction and that India is taking a number of steps to sustain the pace of economic growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said political stability and policy continuity have been maintained in India, because of which the world is looking at India as a bright spot of growth and hope.
Addressing the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, the Prime Minister said India is carrying the process of reform forward in different sectors and that for the Government reform is not merely a policy but a matter of conviction.
The Prime Minister said the world is confronting several concerns on the economic front and that the use, or the weaponisation, of resources for different purposes is creating uncertainty at the global level. Even in these conditions, he said, India is being seen as a bright spot of growth.
Prime Minister Modi said the Union Government has prepared a clear roadmap for reform, with special attention being paid to better governance. He said the Government is promoting higher production through incentives so that new industrial activity, investment and employment opportunities can be created in the country.
Criticising the policies of earlier governments, the Prime Minister alleged that during those periods a policy was adopted of keeping people dependent on the government even for basic necessities. According to him, the licence raj of the previous governments added further to the burden of unemployment, while the present Government’s production linked incentive model is increasing output and creating new opportunities at the same time.
The Prime Minister said the Government is not making minor changes to laws and regulations alone but is changing the entire thinking behind regulation. He said the Government believes there should be no regulation or restriction on an activity that has not been clearly prohibited under law.
Modi said the Government is bringing next generation reforms at the policy level, while reforms are also being enforced in the system of governance so that life can be made easier for ordinary citizens. He said the country is now moving away from the approach of “prohibited until permitted” towards the model of “permitted until prohibited”. According to him, rather than penalising producers or subjecting them to unnecessary obstacles, the Government is promoting production and business activity in the country by providing them incentives.
The Prime Minister said the small reforms carried out in Indian Railways, the Delhi Metro and Namo Rapid Rail are also examples of how rapidly the country is changing in keeping with the demands of the time.
Referring to the earlier system in the field of mapping, Prime Minister Modi said there was a time when permission was required even to make a map of India, although foreign satellites were mapping India. According to him, the present Government has changed that system.
He described border infrastructure as an important priority of the Government. The Prime Minister said the Government has changed the thinking that border infrastructure is a weakness, and that it is now seen as India’s strength. Modi said the Government has taken a number of steps to change the picture of infrastructure in border areas, and that roads, connectivity and other facilities are being improved.
Referring to India’s progress in the digital sector, the Prime Minister said the country has the cheapest data in the world and that India is manufacturing affordable and quality mobile phones. He said the progress being made in technology, manufacturing and digital facilities is playing an important role in further strengthening India’s economy and making life easier for ordinary people.
The Prime Minister stressed that through reform, policy continuity, political stability and better governance, India is determined to further accelerate the pace of its growth in the coming years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the world is looking at India as a bright spot of growth and hope—(BuzzBytes)
