Modi said a shortage of resources was not the reason for a lack of development and that it took good governance, effective implementation of schemes and focused efforts to ensure development. (Express Photo: Dasarath Deka)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday told lawmakers that working for development in most backward districts would be a step towards social justice. He was addressing the National Legislators’ Conference at Parliament’s Central Hall.
Hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the two-day conference is based on the theme “We for development”. It is being attended by Members of Parliament and state Assemblies. Several senior ministers and leaders of several parties were also present. Modi said a shortage of resources was not the reason for a lack of development and that it took good governance, effective implementation of schemes and focused efforts to ensure development. If all children went to the school and all households got electricity, it was a step towards social justice, he said. He flagged these points with regard to the 115 most backward districts identified by his government, which termed them “aspirational”.
“There was a time when a hardcore round-the-clock politics involving agitations and struggle would work. Time has changed. Whether you are in power or in opposition, what matters is whether you come to people’s help. Issues like how many rallies you staged or how many times you went to the jail would have mattered to your political career 20 years back,” Modi said.
He called for posting young IAS officers as district magistrates. He said he was surprised during a meeting with officials of 115 aspirational districts to see that 80 per cent of them were aged over 40. People of this age group had other concerns, like their children’s education. These districts, he felt, should not be seen as ones where anybody could be posted.
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