Govt to develop 300 villages as growth centres, says PM

He said the spirit of democracy is incomplete if one thinks that the citizen’s role ends with voting and stressed upon participative democracy. “Our country has always believed that good governance is bad politics”. After winning elections, the governments usually start thinking about how to win the next elections or what to do to get more votes next time. “Gau sevaks and Gau protectors are both very different”, Modi said during his first ever townhall address in the national capital.

Interacting with people during a Town Hall-style event organised here to mark the second anniversary of MyGov platform, he said it allows people to interact with the government at a minimal cost.

On the condition of the Indian economy, Modi said that it was growing well at 7.5% but India needs stable growth for at least the next 30 years. He also launched the PMO Mobile App developed by six students, and MyGovIndia’s merchandise website. In remarks laced with sarcasm, he said the Prime Minister’s answers were sought for every incident, be it at the village-level, district-level or State-level.

For his critics, Modi has continued to remain the poster boy of these flag-bearers of Hindutva politics even after making his career progression from being a state’s chief minister to the country’s prime minister. Grievance redressal systems are the biggest strengths of a democracy. We should not shut them up. We are taking few initiatives for good governance.

“For good governance it is important that people responsible for tasks be held accountable… then there will be improvement.” he said.

Stating that agriculture remains a most potent sector to push up country’s economy, Modi said the farmers should be led towards modern amenities and his government’s efforts to distribute soil health cards is a honest attempt towards that endeavour. He also said, the government is providing adequate amount of water to the farmers through Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.

Stating that the government was working to provide irrigation to all farms, he said value addition in agriculture and investment in infrastructure like warehousing and cold storages as well as e-marketing will benefit farmers.