Narendra Modi addresses CA, CS, finance experts in Delhi(video)

New Delhi, 27 February 2014

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has expressed indignation over the misuse of nation’s constitutional agencies by UPA for achieving its political interests. Mr. Modi was addressing to top professionals of financial sector at the Chartered Accountants’ Association’s conference in Delhi today. Mr. Modi also criticized the UPA’s approach for dealing with CAG. Mr. Modi was invited to inaugurate the conference and share his views in this programme held under the aegis of Indian Financial Advisory Committee.

Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister exhorted that the exodus of youths towards cities for employment should not be seen as a trouble but as an opportunity. “Our aim should be to enable villages to generate economic activities”, he said.

Mr. Modi cited Gujarat’s example saying that since the state has made available round-the-clock electricity in villages the migration from villages to cities for getting jobs in diamond industry has stopped. Providing electricity in villages itself has brought about a socio-economic change in the villages, he said.

The Chief Minister said that agro infrastructure has never been given importance in our country so far. “The time today is of value-addition in agriculture, and the young farmers should be given new opportunities in farming”, said Mr. Modi.

Mr. Modi cited Gujarat’s example for how to expedite justice delivery system and stop cases to pile up in courts. “In Gujarat lakhs of poor get speedy justice through Lok Adalat and evening courts”, he said.

Underscoring the need to focus on skill development he said that long back the Prime Minister announced to start 500 skill development courses but nothing of this sort has happened so far.

“Good teachers are needed not only in India but in entire world. However our country does not have any mechanism for producing good teachers. India has been indifferent towards empowerment of human resource”, he said mentioning that Gujarat has established a network of 500 Kaushalya Vardhan Kendra (KVK) for providing skill development training to youths which has opened up a vast spectrum of employment. While the center’s public ventures could not come out of ailed state, Gujarat’s public sector companies has recorded huge growth and turned into profit-making utilities, said Mr. Modi.

Replying to an array of wide-ranging questions of professionals Mr. Modi said the constitution has accorded great importance to the federal structure but the UPA government has spared no efforts in harassing the state governments ruled by opposition parties. “The nation can be strengthened only if the states are strong”, he said while emphasizing on the need to strengthen the federal structure of India.

On the issue of Goods and Service Tax (GST) Mr. Modi said that a well-organised network of Information Communication Technology is needed for proper implementation of GST. “We are not against GST, but the state should be consulted before taking such steps as envisaged under the principles of the federal structure”, he added.

“Though there is a great anger against corruption across the country, there is hardly any talk about the ways to stop corruption from taking place on the first place”, Mr. Modi said.

“Similarly the black money stashed away in foreign banks should be brought back. We should create an environment that ensures such situations do not occur”, said Mr. Modi adding that corruption can only be checked with strong willpower.