Our policy-making is based on the pulse of the people: PM Modi

Published By : Admin | July 8, 2022 | 18:31 IST
“Shinzo Abe will remain in the hearts of Indians for years to come”
Arun Jaitley’s personality was full of diversity and his nature was friendly to all. Everyone feels his absence”
“The gist of my experiences of 20 years as Head of Government is that - without inclusion, real growth and without growth the goal of inclusion cannot be accomplished”
“Speed and scale of inclusion in the last 8 years is unprecedented”
“Today's India is preparing a roadmap for the next 25 years with ‘Reforms by conviction’ rather than ‘Reforms by Compulsion’”
“We do not consider reforms as a necessary evil but a win-win choice”
“Our policy-making is based on the pulse of the people”
“We did not let the policy come under the pressure of populist impulses”
“Now is the time that the government should encourage the private sector as a partner in progress and we are moving forward in this direction”

Namaskar!

Today is a day of irreparable loss and unbearable pain for me. Mr. Shinzo Abe, my close friend and former Prime Minister of Japan, is no longer with us. Mr. Abe was not only my friend, but he was an equally reliable friend of India. The India-Japan political relations not only reached a new height during his tenure, we also took forward the relations of the shared heritage of both the countries. Mr. Shinzo Abe will remain in the hearts of India for years to come because of the pace of India's development today and the development work being carried out here with the help of Japan. I once again pay my deepest condolences to my friend.

Friends,

Today's event is dedicated to my close friend Arun Jaitley ji. When I recollect the days gone by, I recall many of his conversations and incidents related to him and I can also see many of his old friends here. We were deeply impressed with his oratory and his one-liners would reverberate in the air for a long time. His personality was full of diversity and his nature was very friendly. All the people who are in front of us come from different walks of life but all of them were friends of Arun. This was the characteristic of Arun's friendly nature that everyone remembers this quality of his personality even today and misses him.

I pay my humble tributes to Arun Jaitley ji.

Friends,

The topic of this lecture in the memory of Arun ji is ‘Growth through Inclusivity, Inclusivity through Growth’ which is the basic mantra of the development policy of the government. I am especially grateful to Tharman (Shanmugaratnam) ji for accepting our invitation. I have listened to him many times and I also keep following his works. Not only in India, but when he goes to other countries of the world, he does a lot of research and there is a local touch in his academic thinking. We have experienced his philosophy today also the way he described the global situation and connected with the children of our country. I am very grateful to him that he took time off from his schedule for this event.

Friends,

If I have to describe the topic on which we have started the Arun Jaitley lecture today in a simple language, then it is ‘Sabka Saath-Sabka Vikas’. But at the same time, the theme of this lecture also captures the challenges and dilemmas faced by today's policy makers.

I want to ask a question to all of you. Is growth really possible without inclusion? You ask this to yourself. Can we even think of inclusion without growth? I have had the opportunity to work for more than 20 years as the head of the government and the gist of my experiences is that - without inclusion, real growth is not possible. And the goal of inclusion cannot be achieved without growth. Therefore, we have adopted the path of growth through inclusivity by trying to include everybody.

The speed and scale with which India has worked for inclusion in the last eight years, you will never find such an example in the whole world. India has given free gas connections to more than nine crore women in the last eight years. This number is more than the combined population of South Africa, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand. Look at the scale! India has made more than 10 crore toilets for the poor in the last eight years. Tharman ji has described this achievement very passionately. This number is more than twice the total population of South Korea. India has opened more than 45 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts in the last eight years. This number is also almost equal to the combined population of Japan, Germany, Britain, Italy and Mexico. India has given 3 crore pucca houses to the poor in the last eight years. I remember once I mentioned these figures to Singapore’s minister S. Iswaran and he told me that it is akin to building a new Singapore every month.

I would like to give you another example of ‘Growth through Inclusivity, Inclusivity through Growth’. We started the Ayushman Bharat scheme in India a few years back which was mentioned by Tharman ji. He also cited the health sector as one of the major sectors in the near future. Under this scheme, more than 50 crore poor have been ensured of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh in the best hospitals anywhere in India. Free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh to 50 crore people! More than 3.5 crore people of the country have got their free treatment under Ayushman Bharat in the last four years. We focused on inclusion in this scheme. The poorest of the poor in the last row of society should also get the best health facilities. With the passage of time, we have seen that the aspect of inclusion also led to growth. Those who were previously excluded joined the mainstream of development. As a result, the demand increased and opportunities for growth also expanded simultaneously. When one third of India's population, which was excluded from better healthcare facilities, got access to treatment, its direct effect was that the healthcare capacity had to be strengthened accordingly. Let me tell you how the Ayushman Bharat Yojana has transformed the entire healthcare sector.

On an average, about 50 medical colleges used to be built in 10 years in the country before 2014. In the last seven-eight years, about 209 new medical colleges have been built in India, which is more than four times. Now you can imagine the difference between 50 and 209! And if I account for the next 10 years, this figure is going to touch 400. There has been an increase of 75 percent in undergraduate medical seats in India in the last seven-eight years. Now the number of annual total medical seats has almost doubled in India. In other words, the country is now getting more doctors and modern medical infrastructure is being built rapidly. We can absolutely see the impact of a scheme brought in for inclusiveness in terms of growth. We can certify this figure. And I can count dozens of such schemes.

India's Digital India campaign, as mentioned by Tharman ji, has brought the Internet within the reach of the poorest of the poor in the villages with the setting up of about five lakh Common Service Centers. India's BHIM-UPI has connected crores of poor with the facility of digital payment. India's SVANidhi scheme has given an opportunity to the street vendors in our metropolitan municipalities with whom we have a daily relationship to join the banking system. Earlier, a street vendor who would be selling his goods to a bank manager had no access to the banking system, but we have made it possible. Similarly, India has done a great job in another field. The economists of the world are writing a lot on it these days and major agencies are also rating it.

The Aspirational District Program is another initiative of India which is uplifting crores of people living in more than 100 districts of the country. The vision of this aspirational district is to address the aspirations of those who have been left behind in comparison to other districts of India. The endeavor is to bring them to the top position of that state and then gradually bring them to the top at the national level.

Friends,

It has had such a huge positive impact, and these 100 districts are being included in the world of development. India's National Education Policy is a huge paradigm shift and Tharman ji also emphasized a lot on it. The one who does not know English and is excluded will now also get a chance to progress further by studying in his mother tongue.

India's UDAN scheme has revived many airstrips in the country and built new airports even in distant Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The UDAN scheme has conceived air travel in a fixed amount. India's UDAN scheme has connected different corners of the country by air and has also given the poor the courage to fly in airplanes. I used to say that even the one who wears Hawai chappals will be able to fly in an airplane. In a way, both inclusion and growth are happening simultaneously. Today the aviation sector is growing so much in India that more than 1,000 new aircraft have been ordered. The purchase of more than 1,000 new aircraft in this country is the result of our approach towards passenger inclusion.

Jal Jeevan Mission is connecting every house in the country with piped water supply, which Tharman ji talked about, and I worked very prominently regarding this in Gujarat. Water is not only available from taps, but it also saves time and resolves people’s problems. Water plays an important role in the health of people. Keeping these things in mind, this mission is playing an important role in social life. Pure drinking water is also an important issue of nutrition for children and our ‘Nal Se Jal’ (water from tap) Abhiyan is a part of a bigger campaign to address that issue as well. In just three years, this mission has connected more than six crore households with water connections.

Roughly, there are 25 to 27 crore households in India, out of which water has been supplied to six crore households. This inclusiveness today is making the life of the common man of the country easier and encouraging him to move forward. And how important it is in the development of any country, the people of the world of economics who are sitting here know very well.

I will give you another example. You also know and I have seen that it is discussed frequently in the UN also. Right to property is an important SDG issue as part of its development goals. Property rights in many countries have remained a major issue in the world for decades. And when it comes to property rights, the ignorant are the most vulnerable. They do not have any documents. They have to face many problems. But you will be happy to know that the speed with which India has worked in this direction is unprecedented. And I believe that the academicians and economists of the world would study the Svamitva Yojana and share with the world how the mapping of houses and buildings in rural areas of the country is going on a large scale under this scheme. Until now, we have completed this work with the help of drones in 1.5 lakh villages of India. Survey is done by drones and the entire village is present during the entire process. And this survey has been completed with drones in more than 1.5 lakh villages. The mapping of 37,000 square kilometer land has been done and property cards have been made for more than 80 lakh people with the consent of the owners. It is a long process involving discussions with the property owner and the people of his neighborhood. It means that it has become easier for the people of the villages to get bank loans and their land is now free from legal disputes.

Friends,

Today's India is preparing a roadmap for the next 25 years through reforms by conviction instead of reforms by compulsion. With the goal of where the country will be when it celebrates 100 years of its independence, today we are moving ahead by preparing a roadmap. Decades ago, the country saw that when a reform is carried out under compulsion, there is little hope of it being institutionalized.

As soon as the compulsion ends, the reform is also forgotten. The more important the reforms are, equally important is the environment and the motivation. Earlier, major reforms took place in India only when the earlier governments were left with no other option. We do not consider reforms as a necessary evil but as a win-win choice, in which there is national as well as public interest. Therefore, whatever reforms we have carried out in the last eight years has paved the way for new reforms.

Wherever Arun ji is today, he will be satisfied that the country is getting the benefits of the mission in which he was a participant. Discussions on GST or IBC continued for years and today their success is in front of us. Reforms such as decriminalizing the Companies Act, making corporate taxes competitive, opening up space, coal mining and atomic sectors are the reality of 21st century India today.

Friends,

Our policies are based on the pulse of the people. We listen to more and more people and understand their needs and aspirations. That's why we did not let our policies come under the pressure of populist impulses. India has witnessed during the Covid period and has also demonstrated to the world the difference between taking decisions according to the people's pulses and succumbing to populism. What the important economists of the world were saying during the pandemic? During the pandemic, there was populist compulsion on the world for bail-out packages for demand-driven economy. We were also under pressure and were criticized for not doing anything. What all was not said about us? It was also said that people want this, experts want this and great scholars want this. But India did not succumb to the pressure and took a different approach calmly with prudence. We provided security to the poor with a people-first approach, focused on women, farmers and MSMEs. We were able to do something different from the world because we were aware of the people's pulse i.e. what the people want and what is their concern? Therefore, we can clearly see the difference between the recovery of India and the rest of the world.

Friends,

I often talk about Minimum Government and Maximum Governance. Our government has abolished 1,500 such laws, which were unnecessarily interfering in the lives of the people. I remember when the Bharatiya Janata Party made me the Prime Ministerial candidate in 2013 and elections were to be held in 2014 that people from a business association called me for a program in Delhi. The mood was very hostile and they were asking me many questions, whether I will make particular laws or not. I was also under pressure as I was the (Prime Ministerial) candidate in the run up to the polls. I told them that you want laws, I can’t guarantee new laws, but I promise you that I will abolish one law every day. Friends, I abolished 1,500 laws in the first five years which had become a burden on the general public.

Friends,

You will be happy to know that our government has abolished more than 30,000 compliances, which were hindering the ease of doing business and ease of living. Eliminating 30,000 compliances means emergence of an era of unprecedented trust among the people. I also said during my address from the Red Fort that I want the government to go out of people's lives as much as possible. The influence of the government in the lives of the people should be minimal, but those who need government should not feel its absence. We have tried to follow these two principles.

 

Today it gives me satisfaction to inform you that the approach of Minimum Government is also leading to maximum outputs and outcomes. We are expanding our capacity very fast and the results are in front of you. Take the example of Covid vaccines. Private players of our country have done a very remarkable job, but the government was behind them in full force as a partner in progress. From virus isolation to speedy trial, from funding to rapid roll out of vaccines, the companies that were manufacturing vaccines got full support from the government.

Our space ecosystem is another example. Today India is one of the most reliable and state-of-the-art space service providers in the whole world. Our private sector ecosystem is doing a great job in this area too. But behind them also is the full strength of the government in the form of a partner in progress, which is helping them by providing every facility and information.

When we cite the example of the digital payments ecosystem of India, we have FinTech as well as many big players associated with digital payments. Here too, the JAM Trinity, RuPay, UPI and supportive policies of the government have a strong base behind them. I have only shared a few examples with you. But I consider these subjects of research for the world and emphasize the academic world to go deeper into it. I invite economists from all over the world to look at its nuances. How are we progressing in spite of being a huge country with many diverse needs? In a way, now the issue of extreme models dominated only by the private sector or government is out of date. Now is the time that the government should encourage the private sector as a partner in progress and we are moving forward in this direction.

Friends,

It is this spirit of taking everyone along, trusting both the public and private sectors of the country, due to which India is showing amazing enthusiasm for growth today. Today our exports are making new records. The service sector is also moving towards rapid growth. The impact of PLI schemes is beginning to be visible on the manufacturing sector. The entire electronic manufacturing sector, including mobile phones, has grown manifold. You will be surprised to know that when I held a summit on toys during the Corona period, many people were wondering that the PM sometimes talks about brooms, cleanliness and toilets and now he is talking about toys. My words did not go down well with many as they were confined to the grandiose issues. I concentrated on toys and toy manufacturers, technology, innovation and the financial sector. Two years have not been completed since then and my countrymen will be proud that the import of toys has decreased very much. Otherwise, we used to have foreign-make toys at our homes. Indian toys are being exported more than what they used to be imported earlier. That is, there is a huge untapped potential. You talked of tourism. I completely agree with you. The potential of India's tourism is so immense but we were stuck somewhere. We lost the mentality to present India in its complete form before the world. I always urge my foreign guests to visit some places in India. This year we held programs on Yoga at 75 iconic places so that people get to know about our tourist destinations. You rightly said that the potential of tourism is so much in India that it can become a major attraction for the world.

Friends,

Our digital economy is also growing rapidly. Record investments are being made in physical and digital infrastructure. That is, every sector related to our growth engine is running at full capacity today.

Friends,

The ‘Amrit Kaal’ of independence is bringing countless new opportunities for India. Our determination is firm and our intention is unwavering. I am sure we will fulfill our resolutions and we will achieve the height that India deserves in the 21st century. And as Tharman ji was referring to some challenges, I agree that there are challenges but if there are challenges then there are 130 crore solutions too. This is my belief and with it we have taken the resolve to move forward by challenging the challenges. Therefore, we have chosen the path of inclusion and we intend to drive growth through the same path. Remembering Arun ji once again, I end my speech. Special thanks to Tharman ji! I express my heartfelt thanks to all of you too.

Thanks!

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Text of PM Modi's address at the Parliament of Guyana
November 21, 2024

Hon’ble Speaker, मंज़ूर नादिर जी,
Hon’ble Prime Minister,मार्क एंथनी फिलिप्स जी,
Hon’ble, वाइस प्रेसिडेंट भरत जगदेव जी,
Hon’ble Leader of the Opposition,
Hon’ble Ministers,
Members of the Parliament,
Hon’ble The चांसलर ऑफ द ज्यूडिशियरी,
अन्य महानुभाव,
देवियों और सज्जनों,

गयाना की इस ऐतिहासिक पार्लियामेंट में, आप सभी ने मुझे अपने बीच आने के लिए निमंत्रित किया, मैं आपका बहुत-बहुत आभारी हूं। कल ही गयाना ने मुझे अपना सर्वोच्च सम्मान दिया है। मैं इस सम्मान के लिए भी आप सभी का, गयाना के हर नागरिक का हृदय से आभार व्यक्त करता हूं। गयाना का हर नागरिक मेरे लिए ‘स्टार बाई’ है। यहां के सभी नागरिकों को धन्यवाद! ये सम्मान मैं भारत के प्रत्येक नागरिक को समर्पित करता हूं।

साथियों,

भारत और गयाना का नाता बहुत गहरा है। ये रिश्ता, मिट्टी का है, पसीने का है,परिश्रम का है करीब 180 साल पहले, किसी भारतीय का पहली बार गयाना की धरती पर कदम पड़ा था। उसके बाद दुख में,सुख में,कोई भी परिस्थिति हो, भारत और गयाना का रिश्ता, आत्मीयता से भरा रहा है। India Arrival Monument इसी आत्मीय जुड़ाव का प्रतीक है। अब से कुछ देर बाद, मैं वहां जाने वाला हूं,

साथियों,

आज मैं भारत के प्रधानमंत्री के रूप में आपके बीच हूं, लेकिन 24 साल पहले एक जिज्ञासु के रूप में मुझे इस खूबसूरत देश में आने का अवसर मिला था। आमतौर पर लोग ऐसे देशों में जाना पसंद करते हैं, जहां तामझाम हो, चकाचौंध हो। लेकिन मुझे गयाना की विरासत को, यहां के इतिहास को जानना था,समझना था, आज भी गयाना में कई लोग मिल जाएंगे, जिन्हें मुझसे हुई मुलाकातें याद होंगीं, मेरी तब की यात्रा से बहुत सी यादें जुड़ी हुई हैं, यहां क्रिकेट का पैशन, यहां का गीत-संगीत, और जो बात मैं कभी नहीं भूल सकता, वो है चटनी, चटनी भारत की हो या फिर गयाना की, वाकई कमाल की होती है,

साथियों,

बहुत कम ऐसा होता है, जब आप किसी दूसरे देश में जाएं,और वहां का इतिहास आपको अपने देश के इतिहास जैसा लगे,पिछले दो-ढाई सौ साल में भारत और गयाना ने एक जैसी गुलामी देखी, एक जैसा संघर्ष देखा, दोनों ही देशों में गुलामी से मुक्ति की एक जैसी ही छटपटाहट भी थी, आजादी की लड़ाई में यहां भी,औऱ वहां भी, कितने ही लोगों ने अपना जीवन समर्पित कर दिया, यहां गांधी जी के करीबी सी एफ एंड्रूज हों, ईस्ट इंडियन एसोसिएशन के अध्यक्ष जंग बहादुर सिंह हों, सभी ने गुलामी से मुक्ति की ये लड़ाई मिलकर लड़ी,आजादी पाई। औऱ आज हम दोनों ही देश,दुनिया में डेमोक्रेसी को मज़बूत कर रहे हैं। इसलिए आज गयाना की संसद में, मैं आप सभी का,140 करोड़ भारतवासियों की तरफ से अभिनंदन करता हूं, मैं गयाना संसद के हर प्रतिनिधि को बधाई देता हूं। गयाना में डेमोक्रेसी को मजबूत करने के लिए आपका हर प्रयास, दुनिया के विकास को मजबूत कर रहा है।

साथियों,

डेमोक्रेसी को मजबूत बनाने के प्रयासों के बीच, हमें आज वैश्विक परिस्थितियों पर भी लगातार नजर ऱखनी है। जब भारत और गयाना आजाद हुए थे, तो दुनिया के सामने अलग तरह की चुनौतियां थीं। आज 21वीं सदी की दुनिया के सामने, अलग तरह की चुनौतियां हैं।
दूसरे विश्व युद्ध के बाद बनी व्यवस्थाएं और संस्थाएं,ध्वस्त हो रही हैं, कोरोना के बाद जहां एक नए वर्ल्ड ऑर्डर की तरफ बढ़ना था, दुनिया दूसरी ही चीजों में उलझ गई, इन परिस्थितियों में,आज विश्व के सामने, आगे बढ़ने का सबसे मजबूत मंत्र है-"Democracy First- Humanity First” "Democracy First की भावना हमें सिखाती है कि सबको साथ लेकर चलो,सबको साथ लेकर सबके विकास में सहभागी बनो। Humanity First” की भावना हमारे निर्णयों की दिशा तय करती है, जब हम Humanity First को अपने निर्णयों का आधार बनाते हैं, तो नतीजे भी मानवता का हित करने वाले होते हैं।

साथियों,

हमारी डेमोक्रेटिक वैल्यूज इतनी मजबूत हैं कि विकास के रास्ते पर चलते हुए हर उतार-चढ़ाव में हमारा संबल बनती हैं। एक इंक्लूसिव सोसायटी के निर्माण में डेमोक्रेसी से बड़ा कोई माध्यम नहीं। नागरिकों का कोई भी मत-पंथ हो, उसका कोई भी बैकग्राउंड हो, डेमोक्रेसी हर नागरिक को उसके अधिकारों की रक्षा की,उसके उज्जवल भविष्य की गारंटी देती है। और हम दोनों देशों ने मिलकर दिखाया है कि डेमोक्रेसी सिर्फ एक कानून नहीं है,सिर्फ एक व्यवस्था नहीं है, हमने दिखाया है कि डेमोक्रेसी हमारे DNA में है, हमारे विजन में है, हमारे आचार-व्यवहार में है।

साथियों,

हमारी ह्यूमन सेंट्रिक अप्रोच,हमें सिखाती है कि हर देश,हर देश के नागरिक उतने ही अहम हैं, इसलिए, जब विश्व को एकजुट करने की बात आई, तब भारत ने अपनी G-20 प्रेसीडेंसी के दौरान One Earth, One Family, One Future का मंत्र दिया। जब कोरोना का संकट आया, पूरी मानवता के सामने चुनौती आई, तब भारत ने One Earth, One Health का संदेश दिया। जब क्लाइमेट से जुड़े challenges में हर देश के प्रयासों को जोड़ना था, तब भारत ने वन वर्ल्ड, वन सन, वन ग्रिड का विजन रखा, जब दुनिया को प्राकृतिक आपदाओं से बचाने के लिए सामूहिक प्रयास जरूरी हुए, तब भारत ने CDRI यानि कोएलिशन फॉर डिज़ास्टर रज़ीलिएंट इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर का initiative लिया। जब दुनिया में pro-planet people का एक बड़ा नेटवर्क तैयार करना था, तब भारत ने मिशन LiFE जैसा एक global movement शुरु किया,

साथियों,

"Democracy First- Humanity First” की इसी भावना पर चलते हुए, आज भारत विश्वबंधु के रूप में विश्व के प्रति अपना कर्तव्य निभा रहा है। दुनिया के किसी भी देश में कोई भी संकट हो, हमारा ईमानदार प्रयास होता है कि हम फर्स्ट रिस्पॉन्डर बनकर वहां पहुंचे। आपने कोरोना का वो दौर देखा है, जब हर देश अपने-अपने बचाव में ही जुटा था। तब भारत ने दुनिया के डेढ़ सौ से अधिक देशों के साथ दवाएं और वैक्सीन्स शेयर कीं। मुझे संतोष है कि भारत, उस मुश्किल दौर में गयाना की जनता को भी मदद पहुंचा सका। दुनिया में जहां-जहां युद्ध की स्थिति आई,भारत राहत और बचाव के लिए आगे आया। श्रीलंका हो, मालदीव हो, जिन भी देशों में संकट आया, भारत ने आगे बढ़कर बिना स्वार्थ के मदद की, नेपाल से लेकर तुर्की और सीरिया तक, जहां-जहां भूकंप आए, भारत सबसे पहले पहुंचा है। यही तो हमारे संस्कार हैं, हम कभी भी स्वार्थ के साथ आगे नहीं बढ़े, हम कभी भी विस्तारवाद की भावना से आगे नहीं बढ़े। हम Resources पर कब्जे की, Resources को हड़पने की भावना से हमेशा दूर रहे हैं। मैं मानता हूं,स्पेस हो,Sea हो, ये यूनीवर्सल कन्फ्लिक्ट के नहीं बल्कि यूनिवर्सल को-ऑपरेशन के विषय होने चाहिए। दुनिया के लिए भी ये समय,Conflict का नहीं है, ये समय, Conflict पैदा करने वाली Conditions को पहचानने और उनको दूर करने का है। आज टेरेरिज्म, ड्रग्स, सायबर क्राइम, ऐसी कितनी ही चुनौतियां हैं, जिनसे मुकाबला करके ही हम अपनी आने वाली पीढ़ियों का भविष्य संवार पाएंगे। और ये तभी संभव है, जब हम Democracy First- Humanity First को सेंटर स्टेज देंगे।

साथियों,

भारत ने हमेशा principles के आधार पर, trust और transparency के आधार पर ही अपनी बात की है। एक भी देश, एक भी रीजन पीछे रह गया, तो हमारे global goals कभी हासिल नहीं हो पाएंगे। तभी भारत कहता है – Every Nation Matters ! इसलिए भारत, आयलैंड नेशन्स को Small Island Nations नहीं बल्कि Large ओशिन कंट्रीज़ मानता है। इसी भाव के तहत हमने इंडियन ओशन से जुड़े आयलैंड देशों के लिए सागर Platform बनाया। हमने पैसिफिक ओशन के देशों को जोड़ने के लिए भी विशेष फोरम बनाया है। इसी नेक नीयत से भारत ने जी-20 की प्रेसिडेंसी के दौरान अफ्रीकन यूनियन को जी-20 में शामिल कराकर अपना कर्तव्य निभाया।

साथियों,

आज भारत, हर तरह से वैश्विक विकास के पक्ष में खड़ा है,शांति के पक्ष में खड़ा है, इसी भावना के साथ आज भारत, ग्लोबल साउथ की भी आवाज बना है। भारत का मत है कि ग्लोबल साउथ ने अतीत में बहुत कुछ भुगता है। हमने अतीत में अपने स्वभाव औऱ संस्कारों के मुताबिक प्रकृति को सुरक्षित रखते हुए प्रगति की। लेकिन कई देशों ने Environment को नुकसान पहुंचाते हुए अपना विकास किया। आज क्लाइमेट चेंज की सबसे बड़ी कीमत, ग्लोबल साउथ के देशों को चुकानी पड़ रही है। इस असंतुलन से दुनिया को निकालना बहुत आवश्यक है।

साथियों,

भारत हो, गयाना हो, हमारी भी विकास की आकांक्षाएं हैं, हमारे सामने अपने लोगों के लिए बेहतर जीवन देने के सपने हैं। इसके लिए ग्लोबल साउथ की एकजुट आवाज़ बहुत ज़रूरी है। ये समय ग्लोबल साउथ के देशों की Awakening का समय है। ये समय हमें एक Opportunity दे रहा है कि हम एक साथ मिलकर एक नया ग्लोबल ऑर्डर बनाएं। और मैं इसमें गयाना की,आप सभी जनप्रतिनिधियों की भी बड़ी भूमिका देख रहा हूं।

साथियों,

यहां अनेक women members मौजूद हैं। दुनिया के फ्यूचर को, फ्यूचर ग्रोथ को, प्रभावित करने वाला एक बहुत बड़ा फैक्टर दुनिया की आधी आबादी है। बीती सदियों में महिलाओं को Global growth में कंट्रीब्यूट करने का पूरा मौका नहीं मिल पाया। इसके कई कारण रहे हैं। ये किसी एक देश की नहीं,सिर्फ ग्लोबल साउथ की नहीं,बल्कि ये पूरी दुनिया की कहानी है।
लेकिन 21st सेंचुरी में, global prosperity सुनिश्चित करने में महिलाओं की बहुत बड़ी भूमिका होने वाली है। इसलिए, अपनी G-20 प्रेसीडेंसी के दौरान, भारत ने Women Led Development को एक बड़ा एजेंडा बनाया था।

साथियों,

भारत में हमने हर सेक्टर में, हर स्तर पर, लीडरशिप की भूमिका देने का एक बड़ा अभियान चलाया है। भारत में हर सेक्टर में आज महिलाएं आगे आ रही हैं। पूरी दुनिया में जितने पायलट्स हैं, उनमें से सिर्फ 5 परसेंट महिलाएं हैं। जबकि भारत में जितने पायलट्स हैं, उनमें से 15 परसेंट महिलाएं हैं। भारत में बड़ी संख्या में फाइटर पायलट्स महिलाएं हैं। दुनिया के विकसित देशों में भी साइंस, टेक्नॉलॉजी, इंजीनियरिंग, मैथ्स यानि STEM graduates में 30-35 परसेंट ही women हैं। भारत में ये संख्या फोर्टी परसेंट से भी ऊपर पहुंच चुकी है। आज भारत के बड़े-बड़े स्पेस मिशन की कमान महिला वैज्ञानिक संभाल रही हैं। आपको ये जानकर भी खुशी होगी कि भारत ने अपनी पार्लियामेंट में महिलाओं को रिजर्वेशन देने का भी कानून पास किया है। आज भारत में डेमोक्रेटिक गवर्नेंस के अलग-अलग लेवल्स पर महिलाओं का प्रतिनिधित्व है। हमारे यहां लोकल लेवल पर पंचायती राज है, लोकल बॉड़ीज़ हैं। हमारे पंचायती राज सिस्टम में 14 लाख से ज्यादा यानि One point four five मिलियन Elected Representatives, महिलाएं हैं। आप कल्पना कर सकते हैं, गयाना की कुल आबादी से भी करीब-करीब दोगुनी आबादी में हमारे यहां महिलाएं लोकल गवर्नेंट को री-प्रजेंट कर रही हैं।

साथियों,

गयाना Latin America के विशाल महाद्वीप का Gateway है। आप भारत और इस विशाल महाद्वीप के बीच अवसरों और संभावनाओं का एक ब्रिज बन सकते हैं। हम एक साथ मिलकर, भारत और Caricom की Partnership को और बेहतर बना सकते हैं। कल ही गयाना में India-Caricom Summit का आयोजन हुआ है। हमने अपनी साझेदारी के हर पहलू को और मजबूत करने का फैसला लिया है।

साथियों,

गयाना के विकास के लिए भी भारत हर संभव सहयोग दे रहा है। यहां के इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर में निवेश हो, यहां की कैपेसिटी बिल्डिंग में निवेश हो भारत और गयाना मिलकर काम कर रहे हैं। भारत द्वारा दी गई ferry हो, एयरक्राफ्ट हों, ये आज गयाना के बहुत काम आ रहे हैं। रीन्युएबल एनर्जी के सेक्टर में, सोलर पावर के क्षेत्र में भी भारत बड़ी मदद कर रहा है। आपने t-20 क्रिकेट वर्ल्ड कप का शानदार आयोजन किया है। भारत को खुशी है कि स्टेडियम के निर्माण में हम भी सहयोग दे पाए।

साथियों,

डवलपमेंट से जुड़ी हमारी ये पार्टनरशिप अब नए दौर में प्रवेश कर रही है। भारत की Energy डिमांड तेज़ी से बढ़ रही हैं, और भारत अपने Sources को Diversify भी कर रहा है। इसमें गयाना को हम एक महत्वपूर्ण Energy Source के रूप में देख रहे हैं। हमारे Businesses, गयाना में और अधिक Invest करें, इसके लिए भी हम निरंतर प्रयास कर रहे हैं।

साथियों,

आप सभी ये भी जानते हैं, भारत के पास एक बहुत बड़ी Youth Capital है। भारत में Quality Education और Skill Development Ecosystem है। भारत को, गयाना के ज्यादा से ज्यादा Students को Host करने में खुशी होगी। मैं आज गयाना की संसद के माध्यम से,गयाना के युवाओं को, भारतीय इनोवेटर्स और वैज्ञानिकों के साथ मिलकर काम करने के लिए भी आमंत्रित करता हूँ। Collaborate Globally And Act Locally, हम अपने युवाओं को इसके लिए Inspire कर सकते हैं। हम Creative Collaboration के जरिए Global Challenges के Solutions ढूंढ सकते हैं।

साथियों,

गयाना के महान सपूत श्री छेदी जगन ने कहा था, हमें अतीत से सबक लेते हुए अपना वर्तमान सुधारना होगा और भविष्य की मजबूत नींव तैयार करनी होगी। हम दोनों देशों का साझा अतीत, हमारे सबक,हमारा वर्तमान, हमें जरूर उज्जवल भविष्य की तरफ ले जाएंगे। इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं, मैं आप सभी को भारत आने के लिए भी निमंत्रित करूंगा, मुझे गयाना के ज्यादा से ज्यादा जनप्रतिनिधियों का भारत में स्वागत करते हुए खुशी होगी। मैं एक बार फिर गयाना की संसद का, आप सभी जनप्रतिनिधियों का, बहुत-बहुत आभार, बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद।