Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, “Everybody in Gujarat knows that whenever the Prime Minister does any work, it is always extraordinary.” (Express photo by Praveen Khanna/File)

Describing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as “pro-business and pro-trade”, Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal Friday said India will be among the top 50 nations in the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” rankings by the end of the five-year term of the Narendra Modi government.

Talking about the “remarkable legacy of Sardar Patel” at a “Support and Outreach” programme organised for MSMEs in Gujarat, Goyal said, “He was considered to be very pro-business and pro-trade. He was basically a farmer, but he understood that it was important to promote trade to improve the economy of the country. He knew that if industry and trade do not grow rapidly, then even the farmer’s life will remain incomplete and their income will also not increase… When farmers and businesses progress together, only then a country grows. These were Sardar Patel’s thoughts. And only yesterday you must have seen how India jumped to 77th rank in the Ease of Doing Business rankings.”

“In just four years, we are in the top 80 and I have full confidence that by the end of the fifth year, we will be among the top 50 in the Ease of Ease of Doing Business rankings. I want to tell you that even Sardar Patel had imagined this about 70 years ago. Sardar Patel used to tell people that we should work hard towards making it easy for business and trade,” he added while pointing out how India jumped 23 places to No. 77 in the “Ease of Doing Business 2019” rankings.

At the event that was held to show PM Modi’s speech live to the MSME sector in Gujarat, Goyal also read out a statement from Sardar Patel. “We must encourage Indian insurance companies, banks and other enterprises and persuade others to do the same. Only by using their goods and services and making helpful suggestions, we can help them make it better,” the minister said quoting Patel.

Goyal said PM Modi has improved the economy of the country, adding that he has tried to create a framework for an “honest system” and to improve the financial conditions of banks and strengthen them.

“Everybody in Gujarat knows that whenever the Prime Minister does any work, it is always extraordinary. It has to be different. You all would have experienced that his work is all about speed, skills and scale. These three things are part of this work,” Goyal said praising Modi at the event which was largely attended by bankers and seven BJP MLAs.