Govt believes in speed and scale, unlike previous regimes, says PM Modi

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said unlike previous regimes, his government believes speed as India's aspiration and scale as its strength.

He also stressed that along with physical infrastructure, social infrastructure of the country needs to be strengthened, for India's advancement.

"Whether it is governance or developing a physical and digital infrastructure, India is working on a different level. The world is admiring the strides India has made in the digital payments system, was it thinkable eight years ago?" Modi said.

Addressing a mega public event here, he said, all these things including Made in India and 5G technology were beyond imagination before 2014.

"The reason for this is that the then governments had old thinking. Earlier governments believed speed is a luxury and scale a risk, but we changed the notion, we believe speed as India's aspiration and scale as India's strength," he added.

The Prime Minister was addressing a public meeting after unveiling a 108-feet tall statue of Bengaluru founder 'Nadaprabhu' Kempegowda and inaugurating terminal 2 of the international airport near here.

Speaking about the feeling of trust towards India for investment across the globe, the Prime Minister said, Karnataka is also reaping its benefits.

Amid COVID globally, during the last three years, Karnataka has attracted about Rs four lakh crore investment, and last year the state stood first in attracting FDIs, he said.

Listing various achievements of Karnataka, including in IT, BT, defence manufacturing, space technology and electric vehicle manufacturing among others, he said, the State is progressing with the strength of "double engine..."

Modi further said, in the whole world India is known for start-ups and Bengaluru has a huge role in strengthening this identity of the country.

"Start-up is not just a company, it is an emotion to do something new, to think differently. Start-up is a belief to resolve the challenges that are before the country. Bengaluru represents start-up spirit, which puts India in a separate league," he said.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and several of his cabinet colleagues, Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Math, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, BJP Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa, BJP legislators, officials, among others were present at the public event.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister paid floral tributes to the statues of saint poet Kanaka Dasa and Maharshi Valmiki at Vidhana Soudha premises. He also flagged off the Vande Bharat Express and Bharat Gaurav Kashi Darshan Train at KSR Railway Station here.

Speaking about the 'Vande Bharat Express', which he flagged off here on Friday, he said, it is a symbol that India has now left the days of stagnation behind.

"It is not just a train, but an identity of a new India, and a glimpse of how Indian trains will be during the 21st century," he said.

Stating that in the next 8-10 years his government targets transformation of Indian railways, he further said, more than 400 Vande Bharat trains, Vistadome coaches, will become the new identity of Indian railways.

Dedicated freight corridors for goods trains will increase the pace of transportation and save time, he said, as he highlighted the modernisation of Railway stations across the country, including in the state.

For a developed India, connectivity between cities is important, and it is the demand of time that air connectivity is expanded, Modi said, the country is the fastest growing market for air travel, and as the nation progresses the number of passengers are also increasing.

Before 2014, the country had about 70 airports and their number has now doubled to more than 140, he said.

The Prime Minister said the effort will be to see to it that Bengaluru progress in the path that its founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda had imagined.

He recalled Kempegowda's planning for development of settlement in Bengaluru with commerce, culture and convenience as its core, and said, its benefits are being reaped even today.

"Petes (markets) he had planned is even today Bengaluru's commercial lifeline." Bengaluru is an "international city" and we have to make it prosperous with modern infrastructure, while preserving its heritage, he added.

Earlier today, Modi unveiled the 108-feet tall statue of Kempegowda, which is the "first and the tallest bronze statue of a founder of a city", as per the 'World Book of Records'.