New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took on critics who accuse him of failing to pursue “big bang" reforms, saying he has set a path for accelerated growth that states now need to help navigate.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on the eve of his second anniversary in office, Modi said he had opened up more of the economy to foreign investment and made changes to curb corruption.
I have actually undertaken the maximum reforms," Modi said, adding, “I have an enormous task ahead for myself."
The interview was given ahead of Modi's visit to Washington in June where he is set to hardsell India's readiness for a more active role on the global stage.
Modi also said he would look to states to further liberalise labour laws and that the changes should be in the interest of labourers and not just the industry.
The PM expressed reluctance to sell state-owned enterprises, but pointed to progress in divesting minority stakes in them and to increasing the participation of private companies in sectors once dominated by the state.
“In any developing country in the world, both the public sector and the private sector have a very important role to play. You can’t suddenly get rid of the public sector, nor should you," he told the Wall Street Journal.
“When I came to the government, I used to sit down with all the experts and ask them to define for me what is the ‘big bang’ for them. Nobody could tell me," he said.
Comments
0 comment