India's democracy is strong, participative and interactive: P.M

New Delhi, Thu, 09 Jan 2014 NI Wire

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh sought to dispel the perception outside the country that India was losing its momentum and that concerns about social challenges, the shape of the Indian polity and issues of governance were unfounded.

Addressing to the 12th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Prime Minister held out the assurance that"there is no reason to despair about the present or worry about the future. In fact, we are heading into better times ahead and I urge you to remain engaged in the future of this country with confidence and optimism.

He said that India's democracy is strong, participative and interactive, the fundamentals of the economy were in fine fettle and in recent months, "We have also taken a very wide range of decisions to accelerate the implementation of mega infrastructure projects, reform tax administration, improve fiscal management, liberalize foreign direct investments and rationalize the system for allocation and utilization of natural resources."

Dr Singh acknowledged the economic slowdown witnessed in the recent past and said that this year end would clock a growth of 5%, the same as last year. "Our economic fundamentals remain strong. Our savings and investment rates are still over 30% of our GDP and the entrepreneurial spirit in India is very much alive and kicking," he added.

The Prime Minister said that India was changing in a way that is significant but not always evident to those who do not see the big picture. "Over the past ten years, our communication networks have expanded exponentially and much of rural India will be connected by broadband in the very near future. About a thousand institutions of higher education are today part of the high speed National Knowledge Network. Telephony is now within the reach of everyone."

The education sector has been radically reformed with Central Universities having gone from 17 to 44 and the IITs and IIMs doubling in number. At the primary level, nearly every child in India is going to school today. The National Skills Development Authority is working with other stakeholders, including those from the private sector, to train 50 million people for the workforce during the next 5 years.