Nitin Gadkari Says ‘Go Swadeshi, End Imports and Increase Exports’
The country was getting self-reliant in defence, automobiles and several other sectors and would become the world's largest e-vehicle manufacturing hub in the next five years with products ranging from two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars to construction equipment.
Nagpur, October 18: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday made a pitch for 'swadeshi' (indigenous) production and said imports need to end, while exports should increase. He also suggested setting up of an "import substitute and export-oriented department" with separate funds earmarked for it. Also Read | Sonia Gandhi Says 'Indian Democracy Passing Through Most Difficult Phase'; Congress Decides Protest Roadmap.
The senior BJP leader said the department should work on the principles of 'swadeshi' and 'swavalamban' (self- reliance) and guide the economy. He was speaking at a virtual programme organised by the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, in which firms that did not retrench workers during the coronavirus-induced lockdown were felicitated. Also Read | Bihar Assembly Elections 2020: PM Narendra Modi's Lookalike 'Abhinanandan Pathak' All Set to Contest Polls, Aspires to Become CM.
"I feel imports need to end and exports should be increased through the promotion of import-substitute goods," he said. Gadkari said an alternative fuel economy worth Rs 5 lakh crore could be created through rural participation.
He went on to inform the gathering that turnover of village industries had increased from Rs 80,000 crore last year to Rs 1 lakh crore and the target was to take it further to Rs 5 lakh crore soon.
The country was getting self-reliant in defence, automobiles and several other sectors and would become the world's largest e-vehicle manufacturing hub in the next five years with products ranging from two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars to construction equipment.
RSS functionary Manmohan Vaidya also spoke at the event and laid stress on "aatmanirbharta" (self-reliance) and swadeshi.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)