India can't wait for incremental progress, needs high jump: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India cannot wait long for "incremental progress" and there is a need for a "high jump" to accelerate development.

"The country should move forward but incremental progress, for that it cannot now wait for long. We have to go for a high jump. We have to jump. We have to change our thinking," he said while addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day.

He said that an investment of Rs 100 lakh crore will be made to create a modern infrastructure to bring India on par with global benchmarks.

Modi said India has made progress in ease of doing business rankings by bringing reforms at various levels and this has been noticed by the world.

"Ease of doing business is a halt. My target is ease of living so that the common man does not have to struggle for anything related to the government. We want to work in that direction," he said.

Modi said people's aspirations were changing and they aspire for more whether it relates to healthcare, education, transport, housing, water, electricity or infrastructure.

"Earlier the aspiration was to have a good mobile phone but now people aspire for better data speed. Times are changing and we have to accept that people's thinking has changed. Earlier, people were happy with merely a plan for a railway station. Now people ask when will Vande Bharat Express come to my area," he said.

He said earlier people used to demand electricity connection but now they want round-the-clock electricity supply.

"People do not want only good railway stations or bus stations, they ask when is a good airport coming up," he said.

The Prime Minister also said that his government had abolished many obsolete laws in its efforts to improve the ease of living.

He said the government's interference in people's life should end and an ecosystem should be created where they can easily move forward for the welfare of their families and country according to their dreams.

"I ask my officers -- Can't we reduce interference of the government in the day-to-day life of people," he said.