Corruption, casteism, communalism will have no place in nation by 2047: PM

Corruption, casteism and communalism will have no place in national life by 2047 and the poor will comprehensively win the battle against poverty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, outlining his vision for the country for the next two decades.

"We have democracy, demography and diversity with us and now a fourth D is getting added to it development," Prime Minister Modi said in an exclusive interview to PTI.

The prime minister said before 2014, the country saw many governments that were unstable and, therefore, unable to get much done.

"But in the last few years, the people have given a decisive mandate, which has led to a stable government, predictable policies and clarity in the overall direction," Modi, who is seeking a third term as prime minister, said.

"By 2047, I am sure that our country will be among the developed countries.

"Our economy will be even more inclusive and innovative. Our poor people will comprehensively win the battle against poverty. Health, education and social sector outcomes will be among the best in the world.

"Corruption, casteism and communalism will have no place in our national life," he said.

He asserted that the quality of life of Indians would be at par with the best countries of the world and "most importantly, we will achieve all of this while caring for both nature and culture".

He also noted that the rapid and sustained progress made by India has evoked interest across the world.

"Many countries have been watching our growth story very closely and they are convinced that this progress is not an accident but is happening as a result of a clear, action-oriented roadmap of Reform, Perform, Transform'," he said.

During his more than an hour-long interview with PTI late last week, the prime minister also touched upon issues of irresponsible financial policies and populism and how they may give political results in the short term but will extract a great social and economic price in the long term.

For a long time in world history, India was one of the top economies of the world but later, due to the impact of colonisation of various kinds, our global footprint was reduced, he said.

"But now, India is again on the rise. The speed with which we jumped five spots, from the 10th largest economy to the 5th largest in less than a decade has conveyed the fact that India means business!" he added.

Emphasising that the period till 2047 is a "huge opportunity", he said Indians who are living in this era have a great chance to lay a foundation for growth that will be remembered for the next 1,000 years!

"The nation is also realising the enormity of this moment. This is why you see an unprecedented rise across multiple domains. We have a century of unicorns and are the third-largest startup hub.

"Our space sector's achievements are being celebrated the world over. In almost every global sports event, India is breaking all previous records," he said.

More universities are entering the top rankings of the world year after year, he said and added that with "such momentum, I am positive that we will be in the top 3 economies in the near future".

He also said political stability is the reason that over the past nine years, several reforms were introduced in economy, education, financial sector, banks, digitalisation, welfare, inclusion and social sector that have laid a strong foundation and growth is a natural by-product.