Govt to snip controls, go ahead with reforms: Modi

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said his government will eliminate unnecessary controls and distortions, and continue with the subsidy reforms to push India’s economic growth.

“Some subsidies may be necessary to protect the poor and needy, and give them a fair chance to succeed. Hence, my aim is not to eliminate subsidies, but to rationalise and target them,” he said at a Global Business Summit here.

Fresh from his mega launch of Start-up India, Modi said his government will keep creating new opportunities for aspirational Indians, and also to improve the lives of the poor through good governance.

“Opportunity is like oxygen to the aspirational citizen, and we are keen that this is never in short supply. In simple terms, it means Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” Modi further stated.
Similarly, he said, his government has been able to undertake the world’s largest and most successful financial inclusion programme, which has brought over 200 million unbanked people into the banking system.

The prime minister mentioned schemes like crop insurance, soil health card, MUDRA bank, Start-up and Stand-up India brought about by his government for poor.

He also mentioned his government’s efforts towards infrastructure development that has helped improve urban lifestyle.

He said his government has been able to give to the rural poor, the highest number of new cooking gas connections, and the highest ever urea production — used massively as a fertiliser by farmers.

 For, businesses, he said the government was able to improve the ease of doing business in India.