Chose rashtraneeti over rajneeti: PM hints at bigger decisions in 3rd term

Chose rashtraneeti over rajneeti: PM hints at bigger decisions in 3rd term

Slamming previous governments for failing to reduce poverty in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said for years, the formula for poverty alleviation was debated sitting in AC rooms with “wine and cheese” while the poor remained poor.

Modi said he does not want to go just by living a daily routine life, instead he wants to go after securing the future of the coming generations.

Addressing ET Now Global Business Summit 2024, Modi said this is India’s time.

“This period is really unprecedented…It’s a time when our growth rate is consistently increasing and our fiscal deficit is decreasing. It’s a time when our exports are increasing and the current account deficit is decreasing…It’s a time when our productive investment is at a record high and inflation is in control…It’s a time when the number of our critics are all-time low,” Modi said, adding that the entire world’s confidence in India is increasing.

“In Davos, too, unprecedented enthusiasm was witnessed towards India. An official said that India is an unprecedented success story. The other one said that the digital and physical infrastructure is scaling new heights…Another official compared India to a raging bull. All this proves that the world trusts India. Such a sentiment regarding the capability of India was never seen or heard,” Modi said.

Discussing the White Paper presented in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Modi said he could have presented it soon after coming to power in 2014, but it could have sent out wrong signals about the country.

“So, he chose rashtraneeti (country’s interests) over raajneeti (politics),” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said he is answerable to the future generations.

“Main vartamaan pidhi ke saath hi, aane wale anekon peedhiyon ke prati bhi jawabdeh hoon. Main sirf rojamarra ki zindagi puri karane jaana nahin chaahta hoon, main aane wale peedhiyon ka bhavishya surakshit karake jaana chaahata hoon. (I am not only answerable to the present generation but also to the many future generations. I don’t want to go just by living a daily routine life, I want to go after securing the future of the coming generations),” he said.

Criticising political parties resorting to freebies, Modi said, “Khazaana khali karake chaar vote zyaada pa lene ki raajneeti se main koson dur rehta hoon (I stay away from the politics of emptying the treasury and getting four extra votes).”

“Therefore, we have given top priority to financial management in policies and decisions. I give you an example. You are aware of some parties’ approach towards electricity. That approach is to ruin the electricity system of the country. My methods are different. You know that our government has formulated a scheme of rooftop solar system for one crore families. Through this scheme, people would be able to bring down their electricity bills to zero and will earn money by selling surplus power.” Modi said.

People have been able to save about Rs 20,000 crore because of promotion of the use of LED bulbs, he said.

Modi said bigger decisions will be taken in his third term.

“I have been preparing new schemes for the last one-and-a-half years to eliminate poverty in India and to give a new impetus to India’s development. I am making its complete road map. And I have taken suggestions from more than 15 lakh people in different ways. With more than 15 lakh people, I have been working on it. I am telling you for the first time that I have never given any press note. The work is going on and it will take its final form in the coming 20-30 days,” Modi said.

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