Nadda: Kerala will gain from Aatma Nirbhar Bharat plan

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP national president J P Nadda on Tuesday said the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiative launched by the Modi government offered immense opportunity for Kerala to make big strides in tourism, agriculture and handloom sectors. Nadda was addressing BJP workers and leaders after inaugurating the ‘Kerala Jan Samvad Rally’ (virtual rally) in New Delhi.
“Aatma Nirbhar Bharat is not just a package, but a meticulously prepared roadmap the Modi government has rolled out to convert the corona-induced crisis into an opportunity for the country. Kerala can very well explore opportunities in tourism sector. Being the biggest producer of pepper, natural rubber and spices, Kerala stands a good chance to utilize the opportunities thrown open by the initiative. The thrust on local products could give an impetus for diversification and better reach of Kerala’s handloom sector,” he said.
Nadda said the Modi government was practising cooperative federalism in letter and spirit in its fight against the Covid pandemic. “In the last three months, Modi has addressed chief ministers of the country five times. Regardless of the political interest, every decision is made by taking all chief ministers into confidence,” he said. The party president said the government was proved right by announcing the lockdown at the right time to slow down the spread of coronavirus.
“The doubling of positive cases happened every three days during the pre-lockdown period. Now the cases double every 14 days. When the country went under lockdown, there was not a single PPE manufacturing unit in the country. Now, we manufacture 4.15 lakh PPE kits per day. Similarly, we have produced 24,000 ventilators during lockdown,” Nadda said.
Nadda admitted that the Union government did not expect migrant workers insisting on immediate travel arrangements back to their homes in the middle of the lockdown. “We made provisions to feed the workers. But there cropped up an emotional issue. Then the government made arrangements for their transportation,” he said.
Earlier in the evening, BJP state president K Surendran delivered the presidential address here with other leaders attending the function, adhering to social distancing norms.