"Our government is working on removing economic disparity, which is an important reason of law and order as well as security concerns. We have to set up small manufacturing units in rural India. Economy can be strengthened only if manufacturing unit gets a boost," Singh said.
He was speaking after the inauguration of the 'Ved Prakash Goyal Room' of the Indian Merchants Chamber(IMC) here. Goyal, the father of Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, was a senior BJP leader and a former minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
He took potshots at those opposed to Swadeshi, saying every economy has its individual fundamental nature in the world of globalisation and liberalisation.
He also said IMC has always upheld the Swadeshi concept.
"I want to ask the economists... India has natural and human resources in abundance... Still why are we not in the list of developed countries. By copying other economic models, we have undermined our own economy," he added, to justify his position.
On price rise, Singh said his government has been able to keep wholesale and consumer price indices in check.
The Minister said 99 per cent financial inclusion has been achieved under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana while it was around 40 per cent in 1969 after bank nationalisation.
