RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, May 29: Union minister of state for civil aviation, road transport and highways General Vijay Kumar Singh today counted here nine years’ achievements of the Modi government at the Centre.
Addressing an interactive session with media persons at Ranchi Press Club, Singh, flanked by BJP state president Deepak Prakash and BJP legislature party chief Babulal Marandi, said, “Development remained unprecedented in nine years. Its scale and pace both are high. Development has been observed in the economy, social sector and political system…As far as economic development is concerned, even China and America are not close to India…Since foreigners invested $ 950 billion in India. Out of $ 950 billion, $ 532 billion has come within 9 years…Investment came in all the 31 states and union territories of India in 61 sectors. As many as 162 countries in the world have invested in India suggesting that they have confidence in the Indian economy.”
The union minister explained that the pace of GDP is increasing in the country.
“India’s GDP is 3.5 trillion at present. While our country took 67 years to achieve a GDP of Dollar one trillion, it took eight years for our country to reach a Dollar 2 trillion economy and just 5 years to reach a Dollar three trillion economy,” he said.
Regarding development in the political system, minister Singh said it has ‘Six Sigma’ quality management at polling booths which is unique in the world.
Sharing uniqueness, Singh said: “India has 90 crore voters including 2 crore new voters. Out of total voters 60 crores exercise the franchise. Number of polling booths is 10 lakh and all the booths have Six Sigma quality management. This is unique in the world.”
Six Sigma is a quality management methodology used to help businesses improve current processes, products, or services by discovering and eliminating defects. The goal is to streamline quality control in manufacturing or business processes so there is little to no variance throughout.
Talking about improvement in the defence sector, the minister said India is progressing fast towards self-dependence in artillery, aircraft engine and satellites. “In Ahmadabad, a satellite production centre has been established. The centre will produce 100 satellites every year. While getting a bulletproof jacket is difficult in 2014, we are not only bulletproof but cars too.”
While replying to a query on employment opportunity, he said the government has provided 36 lakh crore Mudra loan to 30 lakh people and clarified that employment does not provide jobs in the organised sector.
“Organised sector can provide jobs to hardly 4 percent youths. The Remaining 96 percent will have to depend on self-employment or the private sector,” he said.
Singh was previously the Union Minister of State for External Affairs. He held independent charge of the Ministry of Development of the North-eastern Region, Ministry of Planning and Statistics and Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
He has been the Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) representing the Ghaziabad constituency (Uttar Pradesh) since 2014. He served as the 24th chief of staff in the Indian Army (2010-12). In 2015, he spearheaded ‘Operation Raahat’ for evacuation of Indian citizens and other foreign nationals from war-torn Yemen.
In 2016, he led ‘Operation Sankat Mochan’ to rescue Indians from South Sudan. In 2018, he led efforts to locate missing Indian workers in Iraq, at a time the country was fighting ISIS.
