Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for less government interference in the lives of the people to unlock their full potential.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, the Prime Minister slammed the previous Congress dispensation for the governmentalisation of the policy process, claiming that his government took the country out of it.
“The people of this country can only truly utilise their potential when the government neither exerts pressure nor interferes in their lives,” Modi said at NDTV World Summit.
“The more governmentalisation there is, the slower it will become. The more democratisation there is, the more it will accelerate. Unfortunately, the Congress party, which ruled the country for 60 years, always emphasised the governmentalisation of the policy process… It was very important for the country to come out of this governmentisation, and we made that possible,” he added.
Modi cited an example from 2014 saying the petrol pumps would close from 8 pm to 8 am to avoid giving a subsidy on these fuels.
“Before 2014, when the idea of nationalisation was dominant, the Congress government was preparing to close petrol pumps from 8 pm to 8 am to avoid giving the subsidy on petrol and diesel… During the Congress regime, even to obtain a gas connection, one had to obtain a letter written by MPs… As soon as we came to power, we provided free gas connections to more than 10 crore poor families…,” said the PM.
“We democratised and reformed the banking sector to ensure banking touchpoints reach the remotest parts of the country,” he added.
‘Maoist Terror Grave Injustice…’
Speaking on Maoist violence, Modi said it is a grave injustice to the youth of the country, adding that 303 Naxals have surrendered in the last 75 hours, and “huge cache of ammunition seized from those flaunting their .303 rifles earlier”.
“I felt uneasy. I kept my mouth shut. Today, for the first time, I’m presenting my pain to you. I know the mothers who have lost their sons… That’s why, after 2014, our government, with complete sensitivity, attempted to reintegrate these misguided youth into the mainstream,” the PM said.
“Until 11 years ago, 125 districts across the country were affected by Maoist terror. Today, that number has shrunk to just 11… Now, only three districts remain that are severely affected by Maoism…,” he added.
“This time, Diwali celebrations in areas free from Maoist terrorism are going to be even more vibrant. Those people haven’t seen Diwali in 50, 55 years. Now they will. I’m confident that our hard work will bear fruit, and lamps of happiness will be lit in these areas,” he asserted.
