Not in favour of banning beef exports: Amitabh Kant

Newly appointed NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant today said he was not in favour of banning beef exports, stating that the government should instead stay out of such areas and act as a catalyst for growth.
Kant said this during his session at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival with journalist and author John Elliott.
"Personally, I am not a believer in banning beef exports at all. I believe that government should not get into these areas at all. It should just push for exports in these areas," Kant said.
Kant also said he believed everybody must have the freedom to act according to their "wish and will."

"I grew up in Kerala cadre where every Hindu eats beef, every single Nair, every single Brahmin eats beef. I am a great believer in everybody doing according to their wish and will," he said.
The senior bureaucrat, who had been the key driver of the 'Incredible India' campaign, said it was the government's duty to create more jobs, adding that it must facilitate the growth of the economy.

"The government's job is to create more jobs. Our job is to become a facilitator, to become a catalyst and to allow economy to grow," he said.
In his session with Elliot, Kant was optimistic about 'Start-up India' initiative in helping bring about "disruption" in the world economy, saying the future lies in start-ups.

"You need to bring about a disruption in the world economy and the only people who can do it are the young people. Start-Up India has the maximum potential because India is really hungry for growth. The ambition is to grow at 9 to 10 per cent over a long period of time."
Kant, who is set to take over charge of the NITI Aayog in March, said that the institution needs to be transformational in nature and must bring in radical changes.
"NITI Aayog needs to be a transformational institution, You need an institution which will converge and integrate several departments of the government. It needs to bring in radical changes and usher a completely new thought process. You need a good think tank in India and that is what the job of NITI Aayog is," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set up the NITI Ayog replacing and restructuring the previous Planning Commission (Yojana Bhawan).