New Delhi, June 11: Terming the crisis that has arisen in the country due to the COVID outbreak as an opportunity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that any such crisis can prove to be a turning point to build a self- reliant India.
Delivering the inaugural address of the 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) through video conferencing here, the PM said, ‘India is putting up a brave front along with the entire world amid the COVID crisis.
Such difficult times have made India more resolute. Determination, will power and unity are the strength of the nation which makes the country to fight all the crises. Any crisis provides us with an opportunity to turn it into a turning point to build a self- reliant India.’
The Prime Minister said self reliance has been an aspiration of India for years.
‘When I see the population as a whole in India, I see youthfulness, I see motivation and hope. I see aspirations and dreams. And I also see the resolve in people to turn a challenge into an opportunity.
I see people thinking kaash (I wish) we were self-reliant in medical equipment, I wish we were self-reliant in manufacturing PPE kits, I wish we were self-reliant in defence production, I wish we were self-reliant in manufacturing all that we buy or consume. I see countless such kaash in Indians today. The solution to all this can only come from Atma Nirbhar Bharat,’ the PM said.
‘India’s growth story will come only from this (self-reliance). It is the only way that will propel us forward in the 21st century. It is the only way that India, which is today an importing nation, will first become self-reliant, and then aim to become a big exporting nation. That is the vision that will take us forward.
The time has come for every street, every village, every district, every state, and the nation as a whole to take a pledge to ensure that we as a nation must become self-reliant at all levels,’the PM said.
The PM said it is time for bold decisions and bold investments, to prepare a globally competitive domestic supply chain and not for conservative approaches.
The Prime Minister said “Goal of self-reliance has been paramount in the policy and practice of the country and now the Corona pandemic has taught us a lesson on how to speed it up.
“It is from this lesson – Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign has started.” he said.
Modi said, we must all work towards making India an exporter of all products which it is currently forced to import.
Appreciating the efforts of small traders, he said ,’When we buy local produce from them, we are not just paying them for their goods and services, but are rewarding their contributions.’
Quoting Swami Vivekananda that ‘The simplest method to be worked upon at present is to induce Indians to use their own produce and get markets for Indian products in other countries’ he said ‘ this path shown by Swami Vivekananda is an inspiration for India in post-COVID world.’
The Prime Minister listed the major reforms announced under Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaign like expanding the scope of definition of MSMEs, arranging special funds to support MSMEs, decision related to IBC, creation of Project Development Cells for fast tracking of investments.
Hailing the recent policy decisions taken in the field of agriculture, the Prime Minister said, ‘the agricultural economy has been liberated from years of restrictions. Now the farmers of India have the freedom to sell their product, their produce anywhere in the country.’
