Statement of CII President Sanjiv Puri on Prime Minister’s Address to the Nation on Independence Day 2024:
On the special occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered an epochal speech outlining the bouquet of policies and futuristic goals which would accelerate India’s march towards the Viksit Bharat dream, where growth with social empowerment is the buzzword for prosperity and progress ‘As an equity holder in a prosperous and socially empowered India, industry looks forward to partnering with the government in its quest for generating abundant opportunities for all, as enunciated by the Prime Minister today’. This was stated by Mr Sanjiv Puri, President, CII during the address to the nation delivered by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The key takeaways of the speech presented by the Prime Minister, have been the staunch commitment towards environmentally sustainable development, green hydrogen, developing manufacturing excellence, innovation and the quest for a technologically advanced India, especially in futuristic areas such as semi- conductors and design. This, CII concurs, would be a critical milestone in our journey towards a developed India. The emphasis on facilitating ease of living in a mission mode, women-led development, facilitating ODOP initiative for traditional artisans, improving the quality of life in the urban areas, skilling the youth, among others would pave the way for growth with inclusion.
The standout out feature of the speech has been the emphasis on state level reforms including that at the district and Panchayat level. His suggestion that even two reforms carried out per year at the sub national level are sufficient to transform the country is spot on, and in line with CII suggestions on governance reforms.
The need to support agriculture through technology and marketing, which the PM mentioned, were futuristic areas and the way forward for agriculture. Mr Puri lauded the thrust given to rural development through organic farming given by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The emphasis on ease of living of the farmer also deserves special consideration, Mr Puri averred.
With the blueprint for sustaining high growth with inclusion in place, CII is confident that India would soon emerge as the third largest economy despite the daunting global milieu and would soon assume a leadership role in the comity of nations.
15 August 2024
New Delhi