PM Modi for Centre, states to work together for developed India

Asserting that India is seen as one of the fastest growing economies at a time when the world economy is slowing down, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Centre and states must work together for the country's progress.

"India is seen as one of the fastest growing country at a time when the world economy is slowing down. India is not going to progress from Delhi. States have the most important role in India's progress. States and Centre must work together," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2015 here.

"States and Delhi have to move in the same direction then only we can move towards progress. Till now, Delhi used to decide where the states will spend money. This has changed and now the Chief Ministers decide where money will be spent. The country will develop only if there is equal development of every state. Development of India's eastern part cannot be ignored, they are areas with great potential," he added.

Prime Minister Modi further said Chandigarh has been made a Kerosene free city and hailed the 40 lakh people in the country who have given up their gas subsidy to protect the environment.

"If I cut down subsidy, I will be hailed as reformist, but if we do targetted delivery of subsidies it is not seen as reform. On a pilot basis, we tried to make Chandigarh free from kerosene. An unprecedented 40 lakh people have given up gas subsidy, which is a big achievement for us," he added.

Prime Minister Modi asserted that the mandate given to him by the people of the country has helped him in the ease of doing business in states like Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

He also said that the country has the potential to show the power of the states to the world.

"There was an atmosphere of disappointment earlier. The mandate we got from the people of India was the first step towards changing it. Having a stable government is a very big thing and this can't be ignored. Fractured mandates always have uncertainty," he said.

"On 'Ease of Doing Business', we were either constant or falling. The states we never usually looked towards did well in 'Ease of Doing Business' rankings like Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh," Prime Minister Modi added.