Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal on Thursday said the stress of the new government is on creating an India that is for all, where every Indian participates in its growth story and prospers.
Speaking at an extremely topical and interesting session titled 'A New India: Free, Fair and Prosperous?", Goyal assessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's progress in its first few months. He said that this is a government which believes in transparency, action and results, and has succeeded in inspiring confidence across the globe with the initial steps it has taken.
"People are optimistic that a new beginning has been made, and that far-reaching changes will soon be visible," he added.
The Power Minister was joined by Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises, and social activist Aruna Roy as panelists, offering their perspective on the issue. The session was moderated by Nik Gowing, presenter BBC World News.
Activist Aruna Roy questioned that view and said she was sorely disappointed in the government which seemed to marginalize and neglect certain sections such as the poor, women and minorities.
She talked of two-Indias - one prosperous, pro-business, the other poor and deprived. "There are several issues that need to be addressed suitably in order to have an India where "women, the poor and the minorities feel free, confident and safe, and with a say in the part of the process," she said.
"These include the pending Lok Pal Bill, the now void MGNREGA scheme, the lack of transparency and clear road map by which to judge the Government's performance, the way people were being displaced for 'development' projects, jobs made defunct due to the flooding by Chinese goods and rising ethnic tensions which seemed instigated for political mileage," she added.
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Responding to her, Goyal stated that he did not see two Indias or any contradictions and that government was taking a holistic and long term view. He said that infrastructure projects are aimed at improving the living standard of the poor. He stressed that this government is pro-poor and has undertaken several initiatives such as the Jan Dhan Yojna to help get them into the mainstream.
On sharing information and details with the people, he said that his government spoke through its actions, and communicated with the people through several platforms. In fact, he said, this was the only government that held press conferences after 100 days in power and interacted with the media. Reacting strongly to the view that ethnic tension was being instigated for political reasons, he refuted the charge and said that people should stop looking at India narrowly. "This divisive agenda has to stop", he said, adding that Prime Minister Modi stands for justice for all, development for all and appeasement of none.
The focus, he reiterated, is on engaging, enabling and empowering people for long-term benefits, bringing about transparency and policy related changes that would benefit all. Urging people to be more patient in judging them, he said on a lighter note, "This is a 5-day match, not a T-20."
Sounding an optimistic note and showing immense faith in the new government, Sunil Bharti Mittal said that this government is involving and reaching out to everyone by focusing on business and society and people through campaigns such as Swachch Bharat, the Jan Dhan Yojna etc. Admitting that much needed to be done to address issues such as corruption he said corruption starts with discretion and that the Government's effort to move to the e-platform was a step in the direction of eliminating corruption. He said he was optimistic that positive changes are underway.