SDGs like no poverty, zero hunger priority for govt: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said most of the 17 SDGs like no poverty, zero hunger and gender equality are the main priority areas of the Modi model of governance

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said most of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) like no poverty, zero hunger and gender equality are the main priority areas of the Modi model of governance.

He said India must meet global benchmarks to stand out globally.

"As a part of the global world, we are faced with global challenges and the solutions also have to be global," Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said.

He said since May 2014, under Prime Minister Modi, there was a major paradigm shift in all areas of governance and revolutionary and far-reaching changes ushered in economic policies, defence and strategic matters, infrastructure, rural regeneration and social upliftment of vulnerable sections have laid out a clear roadmap for India to emerge as a frontline nation in the comity of nations by 2047.

The minister was delivering the valedictory address of Rajendra Prasad National Memorial Convention at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) here, titled Repositioning India @2047: Revisiting Sustainable Development Goals for Nation Building'.

Singh said in 2015, 193 countries came together to unanimously adopt the UN2030 Agenda for sustainable development, which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

He said most of the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) like no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure are the main priority areas of the Modi model of governance, according to a Personnel Ministry statement.

Singh said India follows a holistic approach towards its 2030 SDGs by launching various schemes.

He lauded the role of IIPA for discussing in detail the five technical sessions pertaining to the 5 SDGs, namely quality education, reducing inequalities, health and well-being, industry, innovation and infrastructure, peace, justice and strong institutions.

We can only meet the goals if we work together, the minister said and underlined that international investments and support are needed to ensure innovative technological development, fair trade and market access, especially for developing countries.

"To build a better world, we need to be supportive, empathetic, inventive, passionate, and above all cooperative," he added.

Singh recalled that the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been leading discussions to develop SDG national indicators.

He said state governments are essential to India's SDG progress as they put people first' and ensure that no one is left behind in the planet.

The Sustainable Development Goals work towards a world of peace and prosperity, eradicating significant issues such as poverty and hunger, all while protecting the planet, the minister said.