New Delhi [India]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has showed that once people of India decide to bring a positive change, nothing can stop them.
Speaking at the conference on Transformation of Aspirational Districts at Dr Ambedkar International Centre here, the prime minister said, “Once the people of India decide to do something, nothing is impossible. We showed that when the people decide to bring a positive change, it is possible to achieve it. All round and inclusive development is essential.”
He further said there was a need to recognise and channelise aspirations of people who belong to ‘aspirational’ districts.
“We need to recognise and channelise the aspirations of the people of the ‘aspirational’ districts. We have called them ‘aspirational’ districts rather than backward or poor as the idea is to underline the seriousness in transforming these in line with the vision of New India by 2022,” he said.
The prime minister interacted with the collectors and officers-in-charge of these ‘aspirational’ districts at the conference organised by NITI Aayog.
“The Collectors of the 115 aspirational districts have the opportunity to earn lasting satisfaction, by delivering on development objectives. Challenges are the path to achieving success in life, and these Collectors have the opportunity for that,” Prime Minister Modi added.
He called for a concerted effort to achieve visible results in three months, till Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on April 14.
“I wish to personally visit one such well-performing district in the month of April. These 115 districts can become the foundation for developing New India. The relative backwardness of some regions is an injustice to the people of those regions. This effort to develop 115 backward districts is in keeping with the vision of Dr Ambedkar, who worked for the upliftment of the under-privileged,” the prime minister asserted.
“On April 14, we celebrate the anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar. Let us devote these coming three months to pioneering innovation in the less developed districts and transform the lives of the poor. He fought for the social justice throughout his life,” he added.
Addressing the gathering, which also included many union ministers and senior union government officers, the prime minister said this was the first official programme at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, and therefore had a special significance.
“Now there are limitless potential, limitless possibilities, and limitless opportunities in India. Top-down solutions do not yield results, therefore, the effort is that people on the field contribute to solutions,” he said.
Giving the examples of the Jan Dhan Yojana, the construction of toilets, and rural electrification, Prime Minister Modi said nothing was impossible in the country if the people had a firm resolve.
He stated, “Banks were nationalised but that did not give the poor access to these banks. We changed that through ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’. Our system, the team of officials showed that it is possible to electrify villages at a record pace and it is possible to build toilets in our cities as well as villages at historic speed.”
“Regional imbalances should not be allowed to increase indefinitely. Therefore, the development of backward districts is imperative. Success stories are vital to change the negative psyche and mindset in these areas and the first step is to convert this mindset of pessimism into one of optimism,” he added.
He also emphasised the importance of building positive narratives and optimism in the achievement of development targets. (ANI)