'$5 trillion economy will enhance ease of living,' says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that BJP government will be the 'enabler and promoter' of the $5 trillion economy dream. Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit that is currently underway, PM Modi said, "The $5 trillion economy target is related to the better future of all Indians. This dream will enhance the ease of living and for this our government will be enabler and promoter. We have the motto of reform and perform."

PM Modi spoke about a host of things including economy and politics at the event. He said that India needs better infrastructure and that the government will bring in schemes worth Rs 100 lakh crore in the coming years. He also spoke on black money and said, "Black money had hurt the real estate sector. To complete the pending projects here, our government approved Rs 25,000 crore."

The Prime Minister said that he was happy to inform that the BJP government 'dared' to merge banks and spend Rs 2.5 lakh crore for recapitalisation.

He said that the BJP government cared for a better future and hence started the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. The PM said that they would now focus on the Jal Jeevan mission.

"When we talk about better tomorrow, the districts, parts of country left behind have to be brought into focus," he said during the event. Twelve districts have been identified as 'aspirational districts', he said. PM Modi said that when the future of the people in these districts is secured, India will progress. Kalahandi (Odisha), Gumla (Jharkhand), Begusarai (Bihar), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) and Bastar (Chhattisgarh) are few of the names to have made to the list of aspirational districts.

"Governments of the past had ignored a large part of the country which were facing various problems. These districts were left to their fate," he said.

Speaking of the earlier governments, PM Modi said that when they took over, the government was running on the basis of 19th and 20th century thinking. "It is not possible to fulfil the aspirations of the 21st century with such thinking," he said.

"We practice politics of performance not politics of promises," said PM Modi.

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