PM Modi urges Centre, states to identify 100 target products to reduce import dependence
In his speech at the 5th National Chief Secretaries Conference in Delhi, he also highlighted India’s potential to become the food basket of the world. To achieve the same, we need to shift to high-value agriculture, dairy and fisheries, focusing on exports, he said. The Prime Minister stated that the Dhan Dhanya Program has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, all States should identify the lowest 100 districts and try to resolve issues related to low indicators.
He observed that the conference was another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat (developed India).
Government to launch National Production Mission
Prime Minister Modi announced that the government will soon launch the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM), which will also include Ease of Doing Business, especially regarding land, utilities and social infrastructure.
He called on states to promote manufacturing, increase ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector.
Modi said every State should give this priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. In the service sector, Healthcare, education, transportation, tourism, professional services, artificial intelligence, etc. to make India a Global Service Giant. He said more emphasis should be placed on other areas such as
He called on states to create 10-year actionable plans, based on discussions at this Conference, with target timelines of 1, 2, 5 and 10 years during which technology could be used for regular monitoring.
India boarded the ‘Reform Express’
Reiterating his remarks about India boarding the ‘Reform Express’, he said the country’s growth was primarily driven by the strength of its youth population and strengthening this demographic remains the government’s key priority.
He also noted that the conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing a new generation of reforms and is steadily advancing towards becoming a major global economic power.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized that India must continue to be self-reliant with zero defects and minimal environmental impact in products, make the ‘Made in India’ label synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to ‘Zero Impact, Zero Defects’.
To boost tourism and youth livelihoods, he called on States to create at least one global tourism destination and prepare a roadmap to nurture the entire tourism ecosystem.
Human Capital is the key to the country’s growth
Modi emphasized that human capital, comprising knowledge, skills, health and talents, is the key driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.
Highlighting India’s demographic advantage, he said that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working age group, which, combined with economic progress, creates a unique historical opportunity that can significantly accelerate India’s journey towards the 2047 target.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the need to map skill demand at State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In the higher education segment, he emphasized that academia and industry must work together to create high-quality talent.
