Indore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said $100 billion worth of foreign investments are knocking at the doors of India and it is up to the states to lap up as much as they can.
Describing his ‘Make In India’ initiative a “win-win” proposition, Modi said the foreign investors should not treat India merely as a market, but should focus on turning it to a manufacturing hub with a view to increase the purchasing power of Indians.
“Investments worth $100 billion from Japan, China and America have applied for visa. Now it is turn of the states to capitalise on the opportunity. The roads are wide open. The states which are ready can walk away with major share,” he said while inaugurating the Global Investors’ Summit here.
The meeting is being attended by industry bigwigs including RIL chief Mukesh Ambani, ADAG’s Anil Ambani, Adani Group head Gautam Adani and Tata Group chief Cyrus Mistry.
In the last couple of months, the Prime Minister has visited Japan and the US and launched the Make in India campaign to lure foreign investments into manufacturing sector.
“When we talk about Make in India, then we want to create confidence in the world that there is a huge investment possibility in India. Please do not consider India only as a market dump goods, sell them and make profits.
“I tell the World, do not confine yourself to this. If India does not prosper, then its purchasing power will not increase. If India’s purchasing power does not increase, then the dream to see India as a market will remain a distant dream,” Modi said.
The focus of the government, he said, is to generate employment by encouraging agriculture, manufacturing and services sector. The Prime Minister said states should rise above narrow political considerations on development agenda and Centre will extend all possible assistance to them.
Praising the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the state progressed even though the previous regimes had ensured that the state doesn’t shed its ‘BIMARU’ tag.
“Despite previous governments not helping it to come out of the BIMARU states list, Madhya Pradesh, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has progressed at a rapid pace and shown a direction to the country,” Modi said while addressing party workers at the airport here.
‘BIMARU’, which means sick, was an acronym formed in the 80s from the initial letters of the names of four states – Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Modi arrived here on his first official visit after becoming the Prime Minister to inaugurate the state government’s ambitious Global Investors Summit (GIS).
He was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by Chief Minister Chouhan, state BJP Unit President Nandkumar Singh Chouhan and local MLAs.
In his brief address, Modi recalled the party’s journey from Jansangh to BJP and said that since beginning the party’s aim was to ensure progress of Dalits and poor people.
“We have to strive hard to ensure that India becomes world guru as people have given us a big mandate. We are more duty bound to ensure the country’s progresses at a rapid pace,” the 64-year-old senior BJP leader said.
Praising Madhya Pradesh’s farmers, he said they have made a tremendous progress by ensuring that the state remains number two position in wheat production, while earlier it was dependent on others for its requirement.
On the occasion, he assured Chouhan that the Centre will give full-fledged support to Madhya Pradesh in implementing development schemes.
Addressing the party workers, Chouhan praised Modi’s leadership and said that after he became Prime Minister, the country’s self-confidence level has increased manifold with stocks and share markets showing an upward trend.
Praising Modi for his historic US trip, he said it was like Swami Vivekanand’s Chicago visit.