 "Lok Sabha polls: PM Modi unveils 1000-year vision, predicts historic win")
Ahead of Phase-V voting in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded his government's actions and laid down the blueprint for India's future essential for a "brighter 1000 years" future of the country.
In an interview with NDTV, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed that current events would drive India towards a brighter future for the next 1000 years. He emphasised that this is a pivotal moment for India/Bharat, and they must seize the opportunity.
"... What's happening now will take India towards a brighter future for the coming 1000 years. In my mind, it is clear that this is our time. This is Bharat's time and we must not lose the opportunity," he said.
While highlighting how a blueprint for India 100 years after Independence can lay the foundation for the country, he pointed out the need to reform the bureaucracy, stating that "promotion should not be the only target."
"Change is necessary in the recruitment and training of officers—they should understand the purpose of their lives," PM Modi told NDTV's editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia in an exclusive interview.
Planning and preparations for 1000 years
The Prime Minister indicated that the government is already working on this with significant public involvement and that the blueprint is well-developed. "We have done a very big exercise, a mega brainstorming. I have been doing this exercise for so long that some officers who were a part of it have retired. We have taken suggestions from ministers, secretaries, and experts," he said.
He added that these plans are divided into achievable stages. "I have broken it down into 25 years, 5 years, 1 year, and 100 days in a stage-wise manner. There will be additions, and some things might need to be dropped, but we have a comprehensive plan," he told NDTV.
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Talking about his vision for the country at 100 years of Independence began while planning for the 75th year, he said.
"I was not thinking of 75 years. I was thinking of 100," he told NDTV. "So this is the question I asked wherever I went. I asked institutes, 'What will you do when the country turns 100? Where will your institution be… RBI (Reserve Bank of India) had a 90-year plan. I said, 'Fine, what will you do when the country turns 100'?" he added.
PM Modi predicts victory in the 2024 general elections
With Phase V of the Lok Sabha election underway and only two more phases to go, PM Modi told NDTV that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will secure a "historic mandate" with 400 seats.
In the exclusive interview, he dismissed the Opposition's claim that the NDA would change the Constitution if they secure 400 seats as baseless.
Asked about these claims, PM Modi said, "Linking 400 seats and the Constitution is foolish. The issue is that they don't want the House to function."
PM Modi on unemployment
Taking a jibe at the Opposition parties' allegations of rising unemployment, PM Modi said that dynastic opposition parties are disconnected from the youth and thus are unable to fathom the changes that are taking place.
"I believe dynastic parties can't understand the changes that are taking place among the youth. Before 2014, there were only a few hundred startups and now there are 125 thousand such companies. Each startup employs many bright youngsters. There are 100 unicorns as well, which means business worth Rs 8 trillion. And these are people in the age group of 20-25, they are our sons and daughters," he said.
Pointing to all the infrastructure projects carried out by his government, the PM said in Hindi, "The first thing to know is that so much work cannot be done without manpower. Just spending money does not mean a road is built or work on the electrification of the railways is carried out. You need manpower for that. Which means employment opportunities are created. I can't see any issue or truth in the Opposition's talk of unemployment."
"I believe dynastic parties can't understand the changes that are taking place among the youth. Before 2014, there were only a few hundred startups and now there are 125 thousand such companies. Each startup employs many bright youngsters. There are 100 unicorns as well, which means business worth Rs 8 trillion. And these are people in the age group of 20-25, they are our sons and daughters," he added.
Opposition only focused on setting up their children: PM Modi
PM Modi said leaders of the INDIA bloc are more interested in the welfare of their own children and not the children of the nation.
"If you make all of them sit together, you will see this is his son, or this is his father. It is clear that the INDIA bloc is more interested in setting up their children, and not bother about the welfare of the children of the nation," PM Modi told NDTV.
In previous instances, Prime Minister Modi reiterated that the INDIA bloc posed a hindrance to India's advancement towards becoming a developed nation. He also emphasised that "Bharat" consistently advocates for the departure of political entities characterised by corruption, dynastic inclinations, and appeasement strategies.
Change needed: Modi on bureaucracy
Changes in training, recruitment, and citizen-centric governance are the changes that have been brought about in the country's bureaucracy, underlined Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"The first thing is that training is the biggest thing, the recruitment process is a very big thing, and I have given a lot of emphasis on it. We have brought about a big change in training institutions. And we are giving technology a lot of focus," PM Modi said.
"I saw that the infrastructure was only on paper. I started reviewing. Kuch hamara mindset, kuch hamari bureaucracy (Some of it was our attitude and some our bureaucracy)," the Prime Minister said.
Here are the main highlights of PM Modi's interview:
- The mantra for infrastructure development focuses on ensuring scope, scale, speed, and skill.
- To attract a larger pool of global investors, states need to embrace competitive and cooperative federalism.
- The current government has implemented significant economic reforms and promoted pro-entrepreneurship policies.
- Citizens should be encouraged to increase their risk-taking capacity. The stock market is attracting many young investors, and their ability to take risks should be enhanced.
- After June 4, the stock markets are expected to reach new highs. Shares of public sector undertakings (PSUs).
- Green technology will be a major source of employment generation in future.
- Advocating for fiscal discipline is crucial, and controlling the fiscal deficit should be a top priority.
- Welfare schemes are a vital part of India's social infrastructure, with targeted programmes and improvements in quality of life being valuable assets.