Encourage manufacturing, boost ease of doing business: PM to States

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost 'ease of doing business' and strengthen the services sector to make India a global services giant. Addressing the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi, Modi said India has the potential to become the world's food basket and the country must move towards high-value agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries and become a major food exporter. He said the conference is being held at a time when India is witnessing next-generation reforms. The PM said India has boarded the "Reform Express" and its primary engine is the country's youth and demography. That is why, it is the government's endeavour to empower this demography, he said.

The theme of the three-day conference, which began on December 26, was 'Human Capital for Viksit Bharat'. Modi said he shared his thoughts on how the Centre and states can collectively work to make India 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant), empower the poor and realise the dream of a 'Viksit Bharat'. "Emphasised the importance of quality in whatever we do. Quality in governance. Quality in delivery. Quality in manufacturing," he said. He said he highlighted key steps taken to create a new work culture in matters of governance and service delivery.

"Let's work towards making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthening our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect'", he added. Modi said discussions were also held on skill development, higher education, youth empowerment and sports, among other things. "Also talked about integrating the latest technology to bring a positive difference in the lives of people," he said.

The conference marks another important milestone in strengthening the Centre-State partnership through structured and sustained dialogue on national development priorities. The PM's principal secretaries P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, members of the NITI Aayog, chief secretaries of all states and Union territories, and domain experts attended the meeting.