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PM Modi addresses Annual Plenary Session of the ICC via video conferencing

Published By : Admin | June 11, 2020 | 10:35 IST
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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address of the 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) through video conferencing here today.

Referring to the war against the COVID-19 Pandemic Prime Minister said India is putting up a brave front along with the entire world. He said the country is also facing various other problems arising out of disasters like locust attacks, hailstorms, Oil Rig Fires, series of mini earthquakes and two cyclones, but that the nation is fighting these problems in unison.

Prime Minister said that such difficult times have made India more resolute. He said that determination, will power and unity are the strength of the nation which makes the country to fight all the crises. He said that any crisis provides us with an opportunity to turn it into a turning point to build a self- reliant India (AatmaNirbhar Bharat).

Self Reliant India

The Prime Minister said self reliance has been an aspiration of India for years.

“Now it is time to make each village, district of the country self-reliant.” he said and called for pulling the Indian economy out of 'command and control' mode and taking it towards 'plug and play' mode.

He said it is time for bold decisions & bold investments, to prepare a globally competitive domestic supply chain and not for conservative approaches. He was listing the sectors in which India should attain AatmaNirbhar.

The Prime Minister said “Goal of self-reliance has been paramount in the policy and practice of the country and now the Corona pandemic has taught us a lesson on how to speed it up. “It is from this lesson - AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign has started.” he said.

Shri Modi said, we must all work towards making India an exporter of all products which it is currently forced to import. Appreciating the efforts of small traders, he said that when we buy local produce from them, we are not just paying them for their goods and services, but are rewarding their contributions.

Quoting Swami Vivekananda that 'The simplest method to be worked upon at present is to induce Indians to use their own produce and get markets for Indian products in other countries' he said that this path shown by Swami Vivekananda is an inspiration for India in post-COVID world.

Prime Minister listed the major reforms announced under AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign like expanding the scope of definition of MSMEs, arranging special funds to support MSMEs, decision related to IBC, creation of Project Development Cells for fast tracking of investments.

Amendment to APMC Act

Hailing the recent policy decisions taken in the field of agriculture, the Prime Minister said that the agricultural economy has been liberated from years of restrictions. Now the farmers of India have the freedom to sell their product, their produce anywhere in the country.

North East an hub for Organic farming

He added that the government's current cluster based approach to local produce will provide opportunity for all. Clusters associated with these will be developed in the districts, blocks in which they are born. He said “Along with this, clusters will also be made for Bamboo and Organic Products. Like Sikkim, the entire North East can become a huge hub for organic farming.” He said that Organic farming can become a huge movement in the North East, if it is made a global identity and dominates the global market.

People, Planet and Profit are interlinked

The Prime Minister called for reviving the historical superiority of Bengal in manufacturing. Taking inspiration from "What Bengal thinks today, India Thinks Tomorrow" PM urged the industry to move forward. He further said that People, Planet and Profit are interlinked to each other. All three can simultaneously flourish and co-exist. To elaborate further he gave an example of the reduction in price of LED bulbs compared to 6 years ago, which had led to savings of about Rs 19 thousand crores in electricity bills every year. That is, Profit for both people and the planet. He also said that other schemes and decisions of the government in the last 5-6 years, have been based on the concept of people, planet and profits. He also highlighted how people benefit from using waterways, how it reduces the cost of Logistics and that the planet also benefits from less fuel burn.

Approach of People Centric, People Driven and Planet Friendly Development

He cited another example, the campaign to free the country from single use plastic. He said that it will benefit West Bengal by furthering the Jute business. He urged the industry to take advantage of the opportunity further. He also said that approaches of People Centric, People Driven and Planet Friendly Development have now become a part of Governance in the country. “Our Technological Interventions are also compatible with the idea of ​​People, Planet and Profit.”

RuPay Card and UPI

The Prime Minister said that Banking services have become Touchless, Contactless, Cashless and works 24 x 7 through UPI. Transactions from BHIM APP are now creating new records. Rupay card is now becoming the favorite card of the poor, farmers, middle class and every section of the country. He urged the use of Rupay Cards for creating a self-reliant India. He said that now the banking services in the country have also reached the have not. He said it has been made possible to deliver the necessary support to millions of beneficiaries without leakage through DBT, JAM (Jandhan Aadhaar Mobile).

He also highlighted how small self help groups, MSMEs can benefit by providing their goods and services directly to the Government of India on the GeM platform.

He urged the industry to invest in R&D and manufacturing of better Batteries to increase the power storage capacity of the Solar Panel in the country. He also called for handholding of MSMEs, of such institutions, who are engaged in this work.

Quoting from Guruvar Tagore’s famous poem “Nutan Juger Bhor”, the Prime Minister exhorted the Industry to understand the opportunities available in the current challenges and said that only marching feet can create a new path. There should be no delay now, he said.

The Prime Minister also hailed the ICC’s contribution for the development of industries in East India and the North East.

 

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Narendra Modi: The Go-To Man in Times of Crises
November 29, 2023

“I salute the determination of all those involved in this rescue campaign. Their courage and resolve have given a new life to our fellow workers. Everyone involved in this mission has set a remarkable example of humanity and teamwork,” PM Modi said in a telephonic conversation with the rescued workers who were successfully pulled out of a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand.

41 workers had been trapped in the Silkyara tunnel for the past 17 days. The rescue operation, involving both advanced machinery and ingenious manual skill, lasted over 400 hours. The remarkable resilience displayed by the trapped workers, the dedicated rescue team, and the overarching administrative efforts collectively exemplify an impressive showcase of grit and perseverance.

This massive operation led by the central and state rescue teams is another example of Modi government’s deep commitment to the principles of federalism. It is also a masterclass in effective and timely mobilisation of resources to address the needs of citizens facing distressing situations.

Operation Ganga: Safely Evacuating Over 20,000 Indian Students from Ukraine
However, this is not something that we are seeing for the first time. Operation Ganga, a monumental effort to evacuate over 22,000 Indian students from Ukraine amidst a war, stands as a remarkable achievement. The mission entailed pooling of substantial resources, the provision of humanitarian assistance and the creation of a safe passage for students to return home. Prime Minister Modi was involved in every intricate detail of the operation—right from logistics to the diplomatic reach-out. In addition, to personally coordinate the entire rescue mission, four Union Ministers were dispatched to four neighbouring countries to Ukraine. On the home front, efforts were made to assuage the concerns of every parent, ensuring they were reassured about the swift and secure return of their children.

This is the Modi government’s ‘whole-of-government’ approach, where swift coordination between diverse ministries, government departments and public agencies leads to coherent action giving exceptional results.

The Machchhu Dam Disaster of 1979
However, the groundwork for Prime Minister Modi's mass mobilization approach was established during the early years of his public service. A striking and pioneering instance of this approach emerged during the Machchhu dam failure, commonly known as the Morbi disaster. It came to known as history’s biggest dam-related disaster unleashing a flood of water through the city of Morbi in 1979, leading to over 25,000 casualties and earning the unfortunate distinction of being the worst dam burst according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

At that time, Narendra Modi, an RSS Karyakarta in Gujarat, undertook extraordinary efforts to assist those affected on the ground. He leveraged the organisational strength of the RSS by mobilising the karyakartas in the time of crisis. He did not stop there. In the demoralizing aftermath, Narendra Modi, in his inimitable style, penned an inspirational letter to motivate the youth in Morbi to rebuild their lives.

The monumental relief efforts in Morbi spanned over a span of over two months, during which Narendra Modi who was an RSS Sangathak in Gujarat, demonstrated exemplary leadership, by personally taking charge and remaining at the forefront until the last bus taking volunteers home departed. Along with RSS volunteers, he assessed the situation and created a detailed plan through which teams were assigned specific tasks to address the different problems arising from the tragedy. Governments can take time before they can choose a course of action. But the 29-year-old worker Narendra Modi, pursued a singular course of action - reaching the people and find ways to alleviate their suffering.

2001 Gujarat Earthquake

Another compelling instance of Narendra Modi's commitment to mobilizing every available resource for swift and effective resolution, is the handling of the devastating 2001 earthquake that shook the state of Gujarat. Even before assuming role as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, then a BJP karyakarta, immediately rushed to ground zero to aid the affected.

During the aftermath of the massive earthquake in Bhuj, where Narendra Modi had no official role in the Gujarat government or the party hierarchy, he leveraged his personal network in the Sangh and mobilised the BJP's cadre to provide assistance to the earthquake victims. Witnessed by all, he rode pillion on a motorcycle to assess the damage and come up with potential remediation measures. Collaborating with non-profit organizations, organizing relief camps, distributing food, and coordinating support collection nationwide and internationally, Narendra Modi displayed how far he can go to assist those in need, irrespective of any formal power or position.

Upon assuming the role of Chief Minister shortly after, Modi chose to spend Diwali in 2001 in Bhuj, in solidarity with the earthquake victims. Shortly afterward, CM Modi displayed sensitive leadership when he organized a mass worship offering to Mother Earth, alleviating fears caused by the earthquake.

When faced with the monumental task of rehabilitation, Chief Minister Narendra Modi left no stone unturned in mobilizing the state’s government machinery. In the face of officials estimating a rehabilitation period of at least three years, Narendra Modi, not aloof of ground realities in Gujarat and conscious of the urgency for those who had become homeless and destitute, issued a straightforward directive: Kutch should stand on its feet again in three months. As the first anniversary of the earthquake of 26 January 2002 approached, Kutch not only stood on its feet but also started regaining momentum.

The Uttarakashi Tunnel Rescue materialized into reality only through decisive leadership at the helm which demonstrated a profound concern for those at the grassroots level. India stood to benefit from the hands-on experiences of the Prime Minister, who has witnessed and managed several many disasters and crisis as a RSS swayamsevak, a BJP karyakarta, and later as the head of the state in Gujarat and India.

Today, we see that this personal abilitiy of PM Modi has transformed into institutional power. This ‘whole-of-government’ approach has transformed the governance paradigm in India, and today one can proudly say that it was an all of government, all of India operation.