People see govt as catalyst for new opportunities, not obstacle: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that people see the government as a catalyst for new opportunities and not as an obstacle.

Modi made the remark while addressing a post-budget webinar on 'Ease of Living using Technology'.

"Today people do not see the government as an obstacle; rather, people see our government as a catalyst for new opportunities. Certainly, technology has played a big role in this. Today the positive effect of the policies and decisions of the government is visible where it is needed the most," the Prime Minister said, adding that "the lack of trust between the government and the people is the result of a mindset of slavery".

Highlighting the contradictions in the priorities of the previous governments, he recalled how a particular section of people always looked for government intervention and expected it to do good for the people.

However, Modi said that their entire life was spent in the absence of these facilities.

He also highlighted another section of people that wanted to move ahead but were dragged down by pressure and obstacles created by government intervention.

Citizens are now able to convey their views to the government and get their solution immediately, as the government has created a modern digital infrastructure in India, the Prime Minister added.

"We are also ensuring that the benefits of the digital revolution reach every section of the society."

The country needs to learn from global best practices to strengthen the trust with the society, he noted.

Modi elaborated upon how the role of technology had led to ease of living like One Nation One Ration Card and JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile) trinity, Arogya Setu and CoWin App, railway reservation and common service centres.

He further highlighted the popular feeling about ease of communication with the government as the dialogue has become easy and people are getting quick resolutions.

He gave examples of the faceless resolution of income tax system-related grievances.

"Now between your grievances and the redressal there is no person, just technology."

The Prime Minister asked various departments to collectively think about using technology for solving their problems and reaching global standards.

"Going a step further, we can identify the areas where dialogue with the government can be further eased", he added.