Next ten years crucial for ‘rise of India’ says Urban Development Minister
Stressing on the need for ‘Reinventing the India Story’, the Minister of Urban Development Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu today said that ‘business as usual’ approach should make way for radical re-orientation on the part of all stakeholders to enable the country retrieve its past glory. He was addressing the 41st Annual Convocation of All India Management Association.
Speaking on the theme of ‘Changing Times: Reinventing the India Story’, Shri Naidu quoted Spanish Pholosopher Sa’id al-Andalusi who in the year 1068 wrote : “The first Nation to have cultivated science is India which is known for the wisdom of its people. Over many centuries, all the kings of the past have recognized the ability of Indians in all the branches of knowledge.’’ Shri Naidu lamented that India was not looked upon as a source of knowledge, technology and innovation by the rest of the world during and immediately after the colonial period. He said that thousands of years ago, Indians were aware of ‘sky travel and Pushpak Vimanas’ before Wright brothers invented aero plane and this glory need to be restored.
Shri Venkaiah Naidu observed that the country is at an inflection point and instead of talking about the ‘potential of India’ the discourse should be about ‘rise of India’. He said, ‘ideas, innovation, investments and implementation’ held key to reinventing the India story. The Minister stated that the central government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is committed to removing all the hurdles in the way of rapid economic development of the country.
Noting that ‘if there is a will, there is a way’, Shri Naidu referred to opening of about four crore new bank accounts under Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan Yojana, as an evidence of the government’s commitment to make things happen. Asserting that ‘growth and governance’ are the twin major objectives of the government led by Shri Narendra Modi, the Urban Development Minister said, necessary enabling policy environment is being put in place to unleash the much desired investments to give a fillip to the economy.
Shri Naidu said, huge working age manpower is the major resource of the country and all efforts need to be made to enable them to contribute to economic growth through their adequate empowerment in the form of required skills.
Shri Naidu cautioned that the next ten years will be very critical for the ‘rise of India’ and all stakeholders should do their bit to reinvent the India story.
The Urban Development Minister said challenges of urbanization are being sought to be converted into an opportunity with substantial involvement of private sector.