New Delhi:

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the BJP leader has “A-grade record” of governance in the past 10 years and has devised a plan for the next quarter-century to propel India to the path of becoming a developed country by 2047.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Home Minister Amit Shah also lauded PM Modi’s efforts for implementing the announcements and promises made by the government.

“PM Narendra Modi has an A-grade past record of 10 years and has already devised a strategic plan for the next quarter-century to propel India towards becoming a developed nation by August 15, 2047. He has made this resolution with the help of 130 crore people in the country to make this country great in the next 25 years. I am proud that the people in my country, at the request of my leader, pledging their commitment and readiness towards this endeavour.”

Viksit Bharat @2047 is the vision to make India a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of independence. The vision encompasses various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance.

Asked about the opposition’s apprehensions about a change in Constitution if the BJP-led NDA crosses the 400 mark in Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah said a government has to observe self-discipline if it does no want to get voted out.

“Whenever we have got a majority we have governed with responsibility and never abused that majority. Tell me, when Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi were getting the majority, was everything appropriate in their times? If we don’t keep self-discipline and control over ourselves, then people in the country will not allow us to stay in power” he said.

“The essence of good governance in our nation lies in enhancing the economy, establishing a global technological platform, positioning India as a manufacturing hub, ensuring Atmanirbhar across various sectors, and aligning our education system with international standards. Our endeavour has been to boost progress and hoist the flag of achievement. Despite our comprehensive efforts to making the country economically strong, selective emphasis is being done by the opposition on certain aspects of our election campaign and trying to overshadow the broader spectrum of our accomplishments” he added.

The Home Minister criticised the opposition parties for questioning the Government on the timing of promulgation of rules of the Citizenship Amendment Act.

“All opposition parties including Rahul Gandhi, Mamata or Kejriwal are indulging in jhooth ki rajneeti (politics of lies) so the question of timing does not arise. BJP has made it clear in its 2019 manifesto that it will bring CAA and provide Indian citizenship to refugees (from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan). BJP has a clear agenda and under that promise, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in both houses of Parliament in 2019. It got delayed due to Covid. BJP had cleared its agenda well before the party got its mandate in the polls” the Home Minister said.

“Rules are now a formality. There is no question of timing, political gain or loss. Now, the Opposition wants to consolidate their vote bank by doing appeasement politics. I want to request them that they have been exposed. CAA is the law for the entire country and I have reiterated nearly 41 times in four years that it will become a reality,” he added.

On March 11, the Union Home Ministry notified rules for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled.

CAA aims to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants – including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians – who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran attended the MMA Annual Convention in Chennai on February 10, 2024. with Balachander’s report
| Photo Credit: Bijoy Ghosh

India’s Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran said a healthy population is the fundamental requirement in the push towards the country becoming a developed country by 2047.

“It used to be said of China, that it may become older before it becomes richer. It should not be the case that India becomes sicker before it becomes richer,” he said in his inaugural address at the Madras Management Association’s annual convention 2024 with the theme – India@2047-Leapfrogging to the Future.

“We all saw how our relatively unhealthy population became more vulnerable to the impact of COVID. And today when I see multinationals speak of India as the next frontier for processed food, It makes me worry,” Mr. Nageswaran said.

“You see sports personalities promote and become ambassadors of unhealthy foods. And if you look at data on child obesity, child diabetes is alarming as far as India is concerned,” he pointed out. A physically fit and mentally healthy population is required. Consumption of social media is antithetical to a mentally healthy population. The health aspect is a responsibility of businesses and individuals, he added.

Sustained growth

He said by the end of March 2024, India’s economy would have grown over 7%, which makes it three consecutive years of 7% growth post COVID.

The Reserve Bank of India estimates that for the year ending March 2025, India would be growing at 7%, which would make it the fourth consecutive year, Mr. Nageswaran said.

India is on track and well placed for 2047. “While we need to be optimistic and confident and have pride in our abilities in our endowments, realistic assessments of the challenges, realistic assessments of our prospects and the awareness and consciousness about our own cognitive limitations are required,” he said.

Note of caution

“In the past, after a few years of good growth, excess optimism takes over and we end up taking bad investment decisions, bad borrowing and lending decisions, which get into the spiral of overheating in the economy. Inflation shoots up, the current account deficit picks up and then we find ourselves going back to square one. That should not happen,” Mr. Nageswaran said.

He pointed out that skilling and creating employment opportunities are essential, especially in an economy that is going to be driven by technology with the advent of artificial intelligence.

Mr. Nageswaran said energy transition and determining the right energy transition mix amid the pressures exerted by the developed nations on developing nations on climate change, would be another key aspect.

He also pointed out that the commercial sector finds a regulator to be a nuisance. But they don’t realise that regulators are here not to post hurdles for growth and development, but to ensure that it continues uninterrupted much longer.

India will be one of the major economic powers, will socially continue to work towards a fair, just, egalitarian society and continue to be conscious of sustainability issues, Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, said in her keynote address. The Hindu Group was the media partner for the convention.