PM’s speech on after-2nd Wave ‘Repair’ and ‘Prepare’…Get the details…
Thursday, 17th June 2021
As the country is gradually coming out of the covid pandemic’s gruesome 2nd wave, PM Narendra Modi on this Wednesday stated that the current focus of the government should be on mending as well as preparing the Indian health setups and also the economy for similar forthcoming challenges.
In its attempt to create a base for sustained and higher rate of the growth, the Indian government is continually unleashing reforms. The government has further initiated schemes for distribution of free food to assist the poverty-stricken people hit badly by this gruesome pandemic.
"Over the past year, we have witnessed a lot of disruption in different sectors. Much of it is still there," stated the PM during the VivaTech Summit.
"Yet, disruption does not have to mean despair. Instead, we must keep the focus on the twin foundation of repair and prepare."
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Last year, around the same time, no vaccines had yet arrived and the world was waiting for it. But today, two anti-covid vaccines are being made in the country and more vaccines are in their trial or developmental stages, said the PM.
"We have to continue repairing health infrastructure and our economies," the PM said. "And when I say prepare, I mean insulating our planet against the next pandemic, ensuring we focus on a sustainable lifestyle that stops ecological degradation, strengthening cooperation in furthering research as well as innovation."
Indian economy has to suffer its worst economic contraction in the last four decades as the rampant lockdowns induced by the coronavirus stalled the economic activities as well as businesses in the country.
While efforts were being made to curb the infection’s spread and the healthcare infrastructure constructed to treat the disease, the government of India implemented enormous reforms across the various sectors - from space to mining, from atomic energy to banking.
"This goes on to show that India as a nation is adaptable and agile," said the Prime Minister.
After the ferocious second wave of the pandemic in the months of April-May, the COVID-19 cases have fallen to over 80 percent since the peak about 5 weeks back. This along with a speeded vaccination drive had helped the state governments relax curbs at a speedier pace when compared to the year 2020.
"I believe where convention fails, innovation can help. This has been seen during the COVID-19 global pandemic, which is the biggest disruption of our age. All nations have suffered losses and faced anxiety about the future," said PM Modi.
While several conventional methods and strategies were put to application, innovation is that which proved to be a savior."Digital technology helped us cope, connect, comfort, console," PM Modi said and then went on to talk about the seamless and large scale distribution of ration absolutely free of cost to nearly 80 crore people of the country and also free cooking gas to those affected by poverty through the use of biometric Aadhaar-based identification system.
Innovation has further helped in rising over the inadequacies in the country’s testing capacity and dearth of facial masks, dearth of PPE kits, dearth of ventilators and many other such vital equipments.
"Our doctors adopted telemedicine, in a big way so that some COVID and other non-COVID issues could be addressed virtually," he stated.
On the side of the government, indigenous Information Technology platform, ‘Aarogya Setu’ allowed highly effective contact identification and tracing services and the COWIN electronic platform is proving helpful in offering vaccines to the teeming millions of the country.
"Had we not been innovating, then our fight against COVID-19 would have been much weaker," he stated. "We must not abandon this innovative zeal so that we are even better prepared when the next challenge strikes."
India, he stated, is actually the breeding base some of the world’s most enormous ecosystems and multiple unicorns have emerged in the last few years.
Stating that India provides what investors and innovators need, the PM encouraged this world to come forward and invest. "I invite the world to invest in India based on the five pillars of talent, market, capital, eco-system and culture of openness."
PM Modi further stated that India comes with 1.18 billion cell phones as well as 775 million net users - across the population of myriad nations.
In India consumption of data is among the cheapest and the highest in the whole of the world. Also, the Indians are in fact the largest social media users. "There is a diverse and extensive market that awaits you," he stated.
He said that the startups should explore the areas such as eco-friendly technologies, healthcare including the recycling of waste, agriculture, new-age tools and technologies of education and learning.
"History has shown that leadership in new technology drives economic strength, job, and prosperity. But our partnerships must also serve a larger purpose, in the service of humanity. This pandemic is not only a test of our resilience but also of our imagination. It is a chance to build a more inclusive, caring and sustainable future for all," the PM added.
The News Talkie Bureau
Source:
NDTV