Polices, decisions during pandemic boosted development: PM

Last year, despite global disruptions, India’s exports were worth a total of $670 billion, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Friday that the policies made by India during the pandemic and the decisions taken have played a key role in the development of the country.

Reflecting on the GDP figures that came out a few days ago, the Prime Minister said: “Last year, despite so many global disruptions, India’s exports were worth a total of $670 billion, i.e., ₹50 lakh crore. Overcoming every challenge, India made a new record of merchandise export of $418 billion, i.e., ₹31 lakh crore.”

He was addressing a gathering at the Goldfinch City Grounds at Bangra Kulur after launching several completed projects and laying the foundation stone for new ones related to New Mangalore Port Authority and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited, all worth ₹3,800 crore.

The Prime Minister said that every sector related to the growth engine of the country is running at full capacity today. The service sector is also moving towards rapid growth. The impact of PLI schemes can be seen very clearly in the manufacturing sector. “The entire electronic manufacturing sector, including mobile phones, has grown manifold”, he said.

Drawing attention to the emerging toy sector of India, he said that the import of toys has decreased in the last three years and export has increased almost as much. “All these are being directly benefited by the coastal areas of the country, which provide their resources for exporting Indian goods, and which have major ports like Mangaluru,” the Prime Minister added.

On development in the last eight years, the Prime Minister said that more than three crore houses have been built for the poor in the country, and in Karnataka, approval for more than eight lakh pucca houses for the poor have been given. “Thousands of middle-class families have also been supported with crores of rupees to build their houses”, the Prime Minister added.

He said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, more than six crore households in the country have been linked with piped water facilities in just three years. “Piped water has reached more than 30 lakh rural families of Karnataka, for the first time”, the Prime Minister said.