DEHRADUN : Winds of change are sweeping across India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after inaugurating Uttarakhand Global Investors Summit 2023 being held at Forest Research Institute in Dehradun on Friday. An aspirational India has been built in the last 10 years in which a large part of the previously deprived population is getting connected to schemes and opportunities. Crores of people who have come out of poverty have given a new momentum to the economy, he said.
Addressing a large gathering of investors, public and students, he said, “We have to understand the potential of India’s middle class. The power of society in Uttarakhand is also creating a huge market for you.” He called upon the rich and influential people and the youth of the country to launch a campaign called ‘Wed in India’ on the lines of ‘Make in India’ initiative. He urged them to host and organise at least one marriage ceremony in Uttarakhand within the next five years.
“Even if 5000 weddings take place in a year in Uttarakhand, it will lead to the development of new infrastructure and transform the state into a global wedding destination,” the PM said, highlighting India’s ability to accomplish any objective it sets its sights on.
Addressing more than 5,000 investors and representatives from around the world at the conference, Modi highlighted the strengths of Uttarakhand and encouraged investors to consider investing in the state. Additionally, he hinted at the upcoming general elections, saying, “I assure the citizens that in my third term, our country will be among the top three economies in the world.”
During his 30-minute address, Modi referred to the investors present as heavyweights in the industry and drew an analogy of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis carried out by multinationals. He also emphasized the importance of performing this exercise on a national level.
“An aspirational India wants a stable government instead of instability,” Modi said, highlighting the recently concluded assembly elections, underlining that people voted on the basis of good governance and its track record.
The PM said, “A few years ago when I had gone out to visit Baba Kedar, suddenly I had said at that time that this third decade of the 21st century will be the decade of Uttarakhand. I’m glad to see it completed”.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that against the targeted Rs 2.5 lakh crore, an investment of Rs 3 lakh crore has been invested, out of which grounding of investment of Rs 44,000 crore has also been done. CM Dhami highlighted the benefits of investing in Uttarakhand.