Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Nov 25: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here that in the last 18 months, the phenomenon of transformation has itself acquired a different definition and that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is actually transforming at the grassroots.
Addressing the 95th Annual meet of ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India) on the theme “Transforming India’s Socio-Economic Landscape”, Dr Jitendra Singh said, transformation is a continuous process and, constant transformation is taking place, not because of us, but in spite of us. The question, therefore, he said, is not whether we are triggering or initiating the transformation but the real question is, how best we can adapt to the transformation occurring before us so that, on the one hand, we can claim to have become facilitators of this positive transformation and on the other hand, we also succeed in obtaining the maximum benefit out of this transformation.
The greatest achievement of the Modi regime, Dr Jitendra Singh said, is that transformation has started manifesting from the bottom at the grassroots. Citing schemes like Jan-Dhan Yojana, Mudra Bank Yojana and Pension Yojana, he said, these are not only pro-poor initiatives but are also path-breaking decisions which could not have been imagined in a developing country like India for several more years to come. A scheme like Jan-Dhan Yojana has, for example, he said, not only paved the way for economic empowerment of the poorest of the poor but has also given him the esteem of being an account holder regardless of the amount in his account.
In the immediate post-independence era, Dr Jitendra Singh recalled, the emphasis was entirely on what was described as the socialistic pattern of transformation as envisaged by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and it also came to be known as “Nehruvian model”. However, he said, by the time India entered 1980s, the realization began to dawn that in the emerging global scenario, it was time to break away from many of the earlier patterns and pave the way for globalization. The opening up of economy began in 1990s, he said, but it had already got delayed by at least one decade and at the same time, was not all inclusive, that is, it focussed heavily on certain sectors while relatively ignoring certain other sectors.
Emphasising the need to revisit certain areas in education and health-care sectors, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this is imperative to extract maximum benefits from the various new initiatives. India is on the threshold of becoming a world power and this is one of the best times happening for all of us, he added.
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