Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing CEOs in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Source: PTI Photo)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said development needs to be turned into a mass movement across the country and asked chief executive officers to become soldiers for building a modern India. In his address to around 200 young CEOs at the Champions of Change event organised by Niti Aayog, Modi said the discussions that executives had among their groups and with government officials will bear fruit in due course.
Divided into a total of six groups of around 30-35 each, the corporate executives made suggestions on a range of issues including providing a universal healthcare cover, using India’s coastline as a hub for renewable energy generation, action points on boosting tourism and measures on promoting a less-cash society, among others.
The groups interacted with senior bureaucrats and ministers over two days and crystallised the talks into actionable points. “I hope the effort of listening to you (CEOs) will bear fruit,” Modi said, emphasising that “development has to be turned into a mass movement” just as Gandhi converted freedom movement into a mass movement. Modi suggested that CEOs work on areas that reduce India’s dependence on import of various goods, minimise wastage of food and to turn waste into wealth.
Discussions were held on six themes include building New India by 2022, Doubling Farmer’s Incomes, Creating Cities of Tomorrow, Taking Forward Make in India, Reforming Financial Sector and Building World-Class Infrastructure. “Our healthcare sub groups suggested a transformational idea of providing Universal healthcare cover to citizens. Such a cover will be enabled through JAM — Jan Dhan accounts used for insurance coverage, Aadhaar as the medical passport and mobile enabled cluster based primary/secondary health care access,” said Garima Sahai, co-founder & CEO of Svadha Wash Pvt Ltd, which provides organised sanitation and hygiene solutions and products mainly in rural markets.
Other recommendations included setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle to promote economic and experiential tourism to make India a tourist hub. Modi also stressed on invigorating India’s tourism potential. Improving farmers’ incomes with direct market access via e-marketplace was also suggested.
“Today, our farmers are forced to sell through APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee). Why such restriction when APMCs are dominated by middlemen and are inefficient? For our farmers to get proper value of their produce they should have direct access to market demand through e-marketplace which connects the food processors, buyers, warehouses, financiers etc,” said Vinaya Varma, CEO, mjunction Services Ltd, a 50:50 JV between Tata Steel and SAIL providing an eMarketplace for steel.
“We have transformed several value chains. We want to replicate the same for agri-commodities. Our demand from government is to remove such old regulations. We do not need subsidy or incentives. We would be keen to invest in this sector,” Varma said. Framing an integrated logistics policy and using India’s coastline as a hub for renewable energy generation was another suggestion made by CEOs to the senior officials of shipping and power ministries.
The Prime Minister said a multi-pronged approach is essential for achieving desired objectives such as doubling of agriculture incomes. Emphasising the importance of food processing, the Prime Minister said lack of infrastructure is leading to huge losses in the agriculture sector. Modi suggested the corporate executives to promote khadi gifts on occasions such as festivals.
The PM applauded the work of outgoing Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog Arvind Panagariya over the past three years. “I want to specially thank Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, who is showing how work is done in mission mode … He has done good work and the country will always remember him and his contribution,” Modi said.
