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પ્રધાનમંત્રી શ્રી નરેન્દ્ર મોદીએ આજે નવી દિલ્હીમાં રાષ્ટ્રપતિ ભવનના સાંસ્કૃતિક કેન્ત્દ્રમાં નીતિ આયોગની ગવર્નિંગ કાઉન્સિલની ચોથી બેઠકમાંપ્રારંભિક સંબોધન પ્રસ્તુત કર્યું હતું.
મુખ્યમંત્રીઓ અને અન્ય પ્રતિનિધિઓને આવકારતા પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ એ વાતનો ઉલ્લેખ કર્યો કે ગવર્નિંગ કાઉન્સિલ એ એક એવું મંચ છે કે જે “ઐતિહાસિક પરિવર્તન” લાવી શકે છે. તેમણે પુરથી અસરગ્રસ્ત રાજ્યોના મુખ્યમંત્રીઓને એ બાબતની ખાતરી આપી કે કેન્દ્ર સરકાર દેશના અસરગ્રસ્ત વિસ્તારોમાં વર્તમાન સમયમાં પુરની સ્થિતિને પહોંચી વળવા માટે તેમને જરૂરી તમામ સહાયતા પૂરી પાડશે.
તેમણે કહ્યું કે સહયોગાત્મક, સ્પર્ધાત્મક સંઘવાદના રૂપમાં ગવર્નિંગ કાઉન્સિલે શાસનના જટિલ મુદાઓને “ટીમ ઇન્ડિયા” તરીકે જોયા છે. તેમણે વર્ણન કર્યું કે જીએસટીનો સુગમ આરંભ અને તેનું અમલીકરણ એ તેનું મુખ્ય ઉદાહરણ છે.
પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ જણાવ્યું કે રાજ્યોના મુખ્યમંત્રીઓએ પેટા જૂથો અને સ્વચ્છ ભારત અભિયાન, ડિજિટલ લેવડ-દેવડ અને કૌશલ્ય વિકાસ જેવા મુદ્દાઓ અંગેની સમિતિઓના માધ્યમથી નીતિ નિર્માણમાં મહત્વની ભૂમિકા નિભાવી છે. આ પેટા જૂથોના સૂચનોને કેન્દ્ર સરકારના વિવિધ મંત્રાલયો દ્વારા સામેલ કરવામાં આવ્યા છે.
પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ જણાવ્યું કે ભારતીય અર્થતંત્ર 2017-18ના ચોથા તબક્કામાં 7.7 ટકાના તંદુરસ્ત દરે વૃદ્ધિ પામ્યું છે. તેમણે ઉમેર્યું કે હવે વિકાસદરના આ આંકાડાઓને બમણા કરવાનો પડકાર છે જેના માટે અન્ય ઘણા મહત્વના પગલાઓ લેવાના છે. તેમણે કહ્યું કે 2022 સુધીમાં નવા ભારતનું વિઝન એ આપણા દેશના લોકોનો સંકલ્પ છે. આ સંદર્ભમાં તેમણે આજના કાર્યસૂચિ પરના મુદ્દાઓનો ઉલ્લેખ કર્યો કે જેમાં ખેડૂતોની આવક બમણી કરવી, મહત્વાકાંક્ષી જિલ્લાઓનો વિકાસ કરવો, આયુષ્માન ભારત, મિશન ઇન્દ્રધનુષ, પોષણ અભિયાન અને મહાત્મા ગાંધીની 150 મી જન્મજયંતીની ઉજવણીનો સમાવેશ થાય છે.
પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ જણાવ્યું કે આયુષ્માન ભારત અંતર્ગત 1.5 લાખ આરોગ્ય અને કલ્યાણ કેન્દ્રોનું નિર્માણ કરવામાં આવી રહ્યું છે. તેમણે કહ્યું કે દર વર્ષે 10 કરોડ પરિવારોને 5 લાખ રૂપિયા સુધીની આરોગ્ય બાહેંધરી પૂરી પાડવામાં આવશે. તેમણે કહ્યું કે સમગ્ર શિક્ષા અભિયાન અંતર્ગત શિક્ષણ માટે વ્યાપક અભિગમ અપનાવવામાં આવી રહ્યો છે.
પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ જણાવ્યું કે મુદ્રા યોજના, જન ધન યોજના અને સ્ટેન્ડ અપ ઇન્ડિયા જેવી યોજનાઓએ વધુ સારા પ્રમાણમાં નાણાકીય સમાવેશીતા માટે મદદ કરી રહી છે. તેમણે પ્રાથમિકતાના આધારે આર્થિક અસંતુલનને પહોંચી વળવા માટેની જરૂરિયાત પર ભાર મુક્યો હતો.
તેમણે કહ્યું કે 115 મહત્વાકાંક્ષી જિલ્લાઓમાં માનવ વિકાસ માટેના તમામ પાસાઓ અને માપદંડોને સંબોધિત કરવાની અને સુધારવાની જરૂર છે.
શ્રી નરેન્દ્ર મોદીએ જણાવ્યું કે ગ્રામ સ્વરાજ અભિયાન એ યોજનાઓના અમલીકરણ માટે એક નવા મોડલ તરીકે ઉભરી આવ્યું છે. તેમણે કહ્યું કે મહત્વાકાંક્ષી જિલ્લાઓમાં તે 45,000 ગામડાઓ સુધી વિસ્તારિત કરવામાં આવ્યું છે. તેમણે જણાવ્યું કે સાત મહત્વની કલ્યાણકારી યોજનાઓ – ઉજ્જવલા, સૌભાગ્ય, ઉજાલા, જન ધન, જીવન જ્યોતિ યોજના, સુરક્ષા વીમા યોજના અને મિશન ઇન્દ્રધનુષમાં સાર્વભૌમિક વ્યાપનો લક્ષ્યાંક છે. એમણે જણાવ્યું કે આ લક્ષ્ય લગભગ 17,000 ગામડાઓમાં પ્રાપ્ત કરવામાં આવ્યું છે.
પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ જણાવ્યું કે ભારતને ક્ષમતાઓ, પ્રતિભાઓ અને સંસાધનોની કોઈ ઉણપ નથી. તેમણે કહ્યું કે વર્તમાન નાણાકીય વર્ષમાં રાજ્યો કેન્દ્ર પાસેથી 11 લાખ કરોડથી વધુ રૂપિયા મેળવી રહ્યા છે કે જે પાછલી સરકારના છેલ્લા વર્ષની સરખામણીએ 6 લાખ કરોડ રૂપિયાનો વધારો દર્શાવે છે.
પ્રધાનમંત્રીએ જણાવ્યું કે આજની આ બેઠક ભારતના લોકોની આશાઓ અને આકાંક્ષાઓને દર્શાવે છે. તેમણે કહ્યું કે અને આ પ્રયત્નોને પુરા કરી સફળ બનાવવા એ આ બેઠકના સભ્યોની જવાબદારી છે.
અગાઉ નીતિ આયોગના ઉપાધ્યક્ષ શ્રી રાજીવ કુમાર દ્વારા મુખ્યમંત્રીઓ અને અન્ય પ્રતિનિધિઓનું સ્વાગત કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું. આ બેઠકનું સભા સંચાલન ગૃહમંત્રી શ્રી રાજનાથ સિંહ દ્વારા કરવામાં આવ્યું.
Text of PM Modi's address to the Indian Community in Guyana
November 22, 2024
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The Indian diaspora in Guyana has made an impact across many sectors and contributed to Guyana’s development: PM
You can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian: PM
Three things, in particular, connect India and Guyana deeply,Culture, cuisine and cricket: PM
India's journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and sustainability: PM
India’s growth has not only been inspirational but also inclusive: PM
I always call our diaspora the Rashtradoots,They are Ambassadors of Indian culture and values: PM
Your Excellency President Irfan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Philips, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Former President Donald Ramotar, Members of the Guyanese Cabinet, Members of the Indo-Guyanese Community,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Namaskar!
Seetaram !
I am delighted to be with all of you today.First of all, I want to thank President Irfan Ali for joining us.I am deeply touched by the love and affection given to me since my arrival.I thank President Ali for opening the doors of his home to me.
I thank his family for their warmth and kindness. The spirit of hospitality is at the heart of our culture. I could feel that, over the last two days. With President Ali and his grandmother, we also planted a tree. It is part of our initiative, "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam", that is, "a tree for mother”. It was an emotional moment that I will always remember.
Friends,
I was deeply honoured to receive the ‘Order of Excellence’, the highest national award of Guyana. I thank the people of Guyana for this gesture. This is an honour of 1.4 billion Indians. It is the recognition of the 3 lakh strong Indo-Guyanese community and their contributions to the development of Guyana.
Friends,
I have great memories of visiting your wonderful country over two decades ago. At that time, I held no official position. I came to Guyana as a traveller, full of curiosity. Now, I have returned to this land of many rivers as the Prime Minister of India. A lot of things have changed between then and now. But the love and affection of my Guyanese brothers and sisters remains the same! My experience has reaffirmed - you can take an Indian out of India, but you cannot take India out of an Indian.
Friends,
Today, I visited the India Arrival Monument. It brings to life, the long and difficult journey of your ancestors nearly two centuries ago. They came from different parts of India. They brought with them different cultures, languages and traditions. Over time, they made this new land their home. Today, these languages, stories and traditions are part of the rich culture of Guyana.
I salute the spirit of the Indo-Guyanese community. You fought for freedom and democracy. You have worked to make Guyana one of the fastest growing economies. From humble beginnings you have risen to the top. Shri Cheddi Jagan used to say: "It matters not what a person is born, but who they choose to be.”He also lived these words. The son of a family of labourers, he went on to become a leader of global stature.
President Irfan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, former President Donald Ramotar, they are all Ambassadors of the Indo Guyanese community. Joseph Ruhomon, one of the earliest Indo-Guyanese intellectuals, Ramcharitar Lalla, one of the first Indo-Guyanese poets, Shana Yardan, the renowned woman poet, Many such Indo-Guyanese made an impact on academics and arts, music and medicine.
Friends,
Our commonalities provide a strong foundation to our friendship. Three things, in particular, connect India and Guyana deeply. Culture, cuisine and cricket! Just a couple of weeks ago, I am sure you all celebrated Diwali. And in a few months, when India celebrates Holi, Guyana will celebrate Phagwa.
This year, the Diwali was special as Ram Lalla returned to Ayodhya after 500 years. People in India remember that the holy water and shilas from Guyana were also sent to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Despite being oceans apart, your cultural connection with Mother India is strong.
I could feel this when I visited the Arya Samaj Monument and Saraswati Vidya Niketan School earlier today. Both India and Guyana are proud of our rich and diverse culture. We see diversity as something to be celebrated, not just accommodated. Our countries are showing how cultural diversity is our strength.
Friends,
Wherever people of India go, they take one important thing along with them. The food! The Indo-Guyanese community also has a unique food tradition which has both Indian and Guyanese elements. I am aware that Dhal Puri is popular here! The seven-curry meal that I had at President Ali’s home was delicious. It will remain a fond memory for me.
Friends,
The love for cricket also binds our nations strongly. It is not just a sport. It is a way of life, deeply embedded in our national identity. The Providence National Cricket Stadium in Guyana stands as a symbol of our friendship.
Kanhai, Kalicharan, Chanderpaul are all well-known names in India. Clive Lloyd and his team have been a favourite of many generations. Young players from this region also have a huge fan base in India. Some of these great cricketers are here with us today. Many of our cricket fans enjoyed the T-20 World Cup that you hosted this year.
Your cheers for the ‘Team in Blue’ at their match in Guyana could be heard even back home in India!
Friends,
This morning, I had the honour of addressing the Guyanese Parliament. Coming from the Mother of Democracy, I felt the spiritual connect with one of the most vibrant democracies in the Caribbean region. We have a shared history that binds us together. Common struggle against colonial rule, love for democratic values, And, respect for diversity.
We have a shared future that we want to create. Aspirations for growth and development, Commitment towards economy and ecology, And, belief in a just and inclusive world order.
Friends,
I know the people of Guyana are well-wishers of India. You would be closely watching the progress being made in India. India’s journey over the past decade has been one of scale, speed and sustainability.
In just 10 years, India has grown from the tenth largest economy to the fifth largest. And, soon, we will become the third-largest. Our youth have made us the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world. India is a global hub for e-commerce, AI, fintech, agriculture, technology and more.
We have reached Mars and the Moon. From highways to i-ways, airways to railways, we are building state of art infrastructure. We have a strong service sector. Now, we are also becoming stronger in manufacturing. India has become the second largest mobile manufacturer in the world.
Friends,
India’s growth has not only been inspirational but also inclusive. Our digital public infrastructure is empowering the poor. We opened over 500 million bank accounts for the people. We connected these bank accounts with digital identity and mobiles. Due to this, people receive assistance directly in their bank accounts. Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest free health insurance scheme. It is benefiting over 500 million people.
We have built over 30 million homes for those in need. In just one decade, we have lifted 250 million people out of poverty. Even among the poor, our initiatives have benefited women the most. Millions of women are becoming grassroots entrepreneurs, generating jobs and opportunities.
Friends,
While all this massive growth was happening, we also focused on sustainability. In just a decade, our solar energy capacity grew 30-fold ! Can you imagine ?We have moved towards green mobility, with 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol.
At the international level too, we have played a central role in many initiatives to combat climate change. The International Solar Alliance, The Global Biofuels Alliance, The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Many of these initiatives have a special focus on empowering the Global South.
We have also championed the International Big Cat Alliance. Guyana, with its majestic Jaguars, also stands to benefit from this.
Friends,
Last year, we had hosted President Irfaan Ali as the Chief Guest of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas. We also received Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo in India. Together, we have worked to strengthen bilateral cooperation in many areas.
Today, we have agreed to widen the scope of our collaboration -from energy to enterprise,Ayurveda to agriculture, infrastructure to innovation, healthcare to human resources, anddata to development. Our partnership also holds significant value for the wider region. The second India-CARICOM summit held yesterday is testament to the same.
As members of the United Nations, we both believe in reformed multilateralism. As developing countries, we understand the power of the Global South. We seek strategic autonomy and support inclusive development. We prioritize sustainable development and climate justice. And, we continue to call for dialogue and diplomacy to address global crises.
Friends,
I always call our diaspora the Rashtradoots. An Ambassador is a Rajdoot, but for me you are all Rashtradoots. They are Ambassadors of Indian culture and values. It is said that no worldly pleasure can compare to the comfort of a mother’s lap.
You, the Indo-Guyanese community, are doubly blessed. You have Guyana as your motherland and Bharat Mata as your ancestral land. Today, when India is a land of opportunities, each one of you can play a bigger role in connecting our two countries.
Friends,
Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz has been launched. I call upon you to participate. Also encourage your friends from Guyana. It will be a good opportunity to understand India, its values, culture and diversity.
Friends,
Next year, from 13 January to 26 February, Maha Kumbh will be held at Prayagraj. I invite you to attend this gathering with families and friends. You can travel to Basti or Gonda, from where many of you came. You can also visit the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. There is another invite.
It is for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas that will be held in Bhubaneshwar in January. If you come, you can also take the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath in Puri. Now with so many events and invitations, I hope to see many of you in India soon. Once again, thank you all for the love and affection you have shown me.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
And special thanks to my friend Ali. Thanks a lot.
