New Delhi: Hectic campaigning, criss-crossing parts of the nation every day, addressing multiple public rallies, picking up new issues to build a narrative of his own or counter-charging a narrative which his rivals may be trying to build, holding feedback and review meeting with his party colleagues haven’t taken off Prime Minister Narendra’s Modi attention from governance issues.
As the seven-phase parliamentary elections are coming to close on Saturday and announcements of results just about a week away, assured of a record third consecutive term victory, PM Modi’s thoughts are focussed on how his third term should unfold the path of greater goods for the people and greater glory for the nation.
His exclusive interview with IANS is a pointer to that — his plans to channelise immense talent and potential of the younger lot to make India’s soft power be felt ever more strongly by the world in hitherto uncharted areas.
If one thought that PM Modi’s slogan ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’ was just about redeveloping the country’s cultural and spiritual heritage sites and developing desired infrastructure around those places for the greater good, one was wrong. It surely is one part of that but it has a multitude of dimensions and links with an Atmanirbhar Bharat resolve.
This comes with another resolve that the war against corruption would be further intensified and when says this he is not talking about small fishes, he is talking about sharks and ‘crocodiles’.
What makes PM Modi’s vision different from his predecessors and most in his peer group in the political spectrum? He does not think of a plan or policy in isolation. He connects multiple dots to have a far-reaching impact of a policy decision and its implementation. “Our government’s approach is comprehensive, integrated and holistic,” PM Modi says.
Making the governance model solution-centric has been a hallmark of Modi regime. “Nation’s fundamental issues can’t be ignored. If people in villages and remote locations are facing issues, they call for immediate redressal. They too are important constituents of India’s growth story and can’t be looked down upon.”
That is one of the key reasons why tier two, three and four cities are scripting as much part of New India’s growth story, as are the tier one cities. That would have been possible without giving a technological push, making the internet data and instilling a feeling among the younger generations that dreams and aspirations are worthwhile things to live for.
“I understand their aspirations. Today’s youth is very different from the past. They don’t want to conform to previous standards. They want to take big leaps and reach their intended destination, even if it means bypassing some steps. Our responsibility is to provide them launching pads, give them a platform to fulfil their aspirations. There is a need to understand youth and their thinking pattern,” he told IANS.
He cited some examples how the Gen Next does not just think of the immediate task before them but much beyond that: “When I do Pariskha Pe Charcha, I get to interact with thousands of students. I come across many students who are thinking decades ahead of their time. If the government and the leadership fail to understand aspirations of this new generation, a long gap will emerge.”
Undoubtedly, start-ups have been a shining chapter in India’s growth model in the last 10 years.
The Prime Minister recounted how he held workshops with start-ups, the sporting and film community and several other segments of society with focus to “promote and sell our products to the global community”.
What is interesting to find is that while most people of older generations have a negative perception about online and social media issues, Modi thinks that if the energy of youth active in this arena is channelised properly they can prove to be an asset in scripting New India story.
“Today, the YouTube community, gaming and social media influencers have emerged as a new and promising enterprise. I organised a meeting with them and sought to address their challenges while also exploring the nation’s potential in taking lead positions in these sectors.” One has seen PM Modi’s interaction with these groups were most lively.
Though much has been written about India holding a successful G-20 meet, PM Modi underlined the event’s other aspects related to taking pride in the country’s diverse richness.
“We used the G-20 Summit to create a new image and brand of Bharat, before the world. We got success too in making global powers curious about India and its diversity.
“We organised G-20 Summits across the length and breadth of the country and not just restricted to Delhi alone. The purpose and thinking behind this was not to make the world aware that Delhi alone represents the country, the diversity of the country can be best explored by visiting those locations. Taj Mahal alone is not Bharat, there are multiple destinations to explore. Over 1 lakh policymakers from across the globe participated in more than 200 Summits held in different parts of the country. They not only explored those locations but also informed their families and acquaintances in their respective countries about the beauty of India. The country has seen a surge in tourism and G20 Summits have effectively contributed to it,” PM Modi said.
Since the time PM Modi ran his campaign after the BJP declared him Prime Ministerial candidate in 2013, he has been putting emphasis on tourism. It serves twin purposes — boosting the economy of the region concerned and putting parts of India on the global map. It’s not only the Ministry of Tourism and allied ministries who have been working in showcasing these places and developing infrastructure but now PM Modi has roped in the Ministry of External Affairs into it.
“I have also briefed the Foreign Department about measuring their scale of success on three counts. First is how much Indian produce is bought by the country where you reside, second is which modern technology can be brought in India and third is how many citizens of that country visit India every year, for tourism,” PM Modi said.
–IANS
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