India’s image of ‘written off’ economy changed in 17 months: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the 17-month-old NDA government has managed to turn around the image of India as a “written off” economy to one of the fast developing economies in the world.

“Today within these 17 months, India has marked its name in the whole world, including big nations, among the fast developing economies,” Modi said addressing a public rally here.

The Prime Minister said before he took office, so much was written about India being on the brink of destruction due to mis-governance and corruption in the country.

“Seventeen months back, take any Indian newspaper or watch any TV debate on youtube, listen to any agency in the world – the only voice was that India had been destroyed and can’t be saved. That India has reached the point of destruction. Economic situation, corruption, mis-governance and other such diseases have destroyed India. 17 months back, these voices used to echo in our ears,” he said.

Modi said no one would dare to compare India with China at that time as the neighbouring country had moved ahead of us.

“Today when there is any talk of India’s development, economic development, every time India’s comparison is made with China and nowadays it is repeatedly being said that India has surpassed China. This could happen in 17 months,” he said.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that improvement made by India on Transparency International index for taking steps to fight corruption.

“I read a report while coming here. It was a report of Transparency International which speaks about the status of corruption around the globe – whether it is on rise or on decline in a particular nation. China was considered better placed than India in this regard.

“For the first time in the last 50 years, India is successfully 10 steps ahead of China in eradicating corruption. Our number in corruption was at 95 in the world. Today’s report says that we have reached 85th place by taking important steps to curb corruption,” he added.

The Prime Minister said in 17 months, India has shown that it moved forward in anti-corruption crusade.

“Once India decides to do something, it does”.