Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi on Tuesday. (Express)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the inaugural session of PIO-Parliamentary conference at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. The prime minister acknowledged the role of Indian origin people in the world towards the growth and prosperity of their native land. He also assured the PIO Parliamentarians of all the necessary support for their own growth in any part of the world.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was also present on the occasion, delivered the opening remarks. Addressing over 100 parliamentarians of Indian-origin, PM Modi said the guiding principle of the present day government is ‘reform to transform’.
“We are increasingly focusing on the world, our perception of the world is changing, its main reason is that India is transforming itself, it is being transformed. Reforms to transform is our guiding principle,” PM Modi said in his address.
January 9 is celebrated as Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) to mark the contribution of overseas citizens of Indian origin or Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), towards their homeland.
READ: Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas: PM Modi says ‘reform to transform is our guiding principle’
Here are the top quotes from the PM’s speech:
*In last 2-3 years, 19 billion dollars of FDI investment has been done in India. India’s jump to 100 in the global ease of doing business ranking is the result of reforms undertaken by the government in the past three years. This has also been acknowledged by the World Bank. Foreign institutions like World Bank, Moody’s is looking at India positively.
*With GST, we have put an end to multiple forms of taxes which gave space to corruption. We have brought reforms in a number of sectors like mining, construction, agriculture, etc,. Keeping in mind the dreams of youth, the government is regularly working on Skill India, Start up India, Mudra Yojana and other such schemes.
*We have taken initiative to boost ASEAN relationship with member countries. A small of glimpse of how India is nurturing ASEAN trade and connectivity will be before the world on January 26 on the occasion of Independence Day.
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*We have always tried to live up to our age old custom of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. Be it natural calamities in any part of the world, our forces have always tried to help the people in distress. Be it Nepal earthquake or Maldives disaster, we have always tried to achive our humanitarian goals. Who can forget the sacrifice of 1.5 lakh Indian soldiers in World War I.
*Whenever I visit a foreign country, I make it sure that I meet the people of Indian-origin. I believe that if there is any ”permanent ambassador”, then it is the PIOs in different =parts of the world. Under the able leadership of Sushma Swaraj, we have been able to activate a 24*7 process to register and solve the PIO issues. The External Affairs Minister has just returned from such an event in Singapore.