A B Sharma / AMN / New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the NITI Aayog to create a vision document for transformation of the country. He said that the vision document will chart a roadmap for country’s development for the next fifteen years and will also lay the foundation for the India’s growth over the next decades of the 21st century.
Interacting with members of the NITI Aayog in New Delhi today Mr Modi said that the time for incremental change, which was the norm across the world for quite some time is now over and the current age requires transformational change. He said, technology will continue to be a key driver of economic growth and instrument for poverty elimination in India.
Later Speaking to media after the meeting, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Dr Arvind Panagariya said, the Prime Minister asserted that the Union Government has the courage and the ability to deliver transformational change for bettering the lives of the people.
Laying out the broad contours of India’s development path, the Prime Minister said, judicious and intelligent application of India’s natural resources and human resources, will be at the heart of this change. Mr Modi said, India has not succeeded in making the best and efficient use of the natural resources such as solar energy and there is need to make an exhaustive list of untapped natural resources and the potential of which that can be fully exploited. He said, optimal utilisation of India’s existing resources should be the way forward for charting out a growth strategy for India.
Talking about human resource development, the Prime Minister said focused skill development is vital, as India has the potential to fulfill the global requirement of human resources in the future. The Prime Minister stressed on the need to develop India’s tourism potential.
He said partnership with States for promoting development and boosting exports is not just an element of cooperative federalism, but also the need of the hour. The Prime Minister said the focus cannot be on increasing agricultural productivity alone, but should be on the overall development of a vibrant rural economy. He said, the intentions of the policy-makers are even more important than the policies themselves.
During the meeting, NITI Aayog made a presentation to the Prime Minister on the progress made so far on the vision document. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, CEO Amitabh Kant, members and senior officers from the NITI Aayog, PMO and Cabinet Secretariat.