PM Modi says India will be among world's top 3 economies in his third term
New Delhi, Jul 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid bare his blueprint for a third term of his government, saying India will become the third largest economy in the world with a faster growth rate than now.
Modi government will complete 10 years in office next May and he is seeking a third term on development plank.
"We have to achieve the target of making India a developed nation in the next 25 years," he said after unveiling a world-class convention centre in the heart of the national capital.
India can definitely eradicate poverty, he said citing a NITI Aayog report that talked of 13.5 crore poor being lifted out of poverty.
Reeling out statistics of development from the number of airports to railway line electrification to expansion of city gas during his nine-year tenure, the Prime Minister said India was the 10th largest economy when the BJP government took office in 2014.
The country is now ranked fifth in the world behind the US, China, Germany and Japan.
"We will make India a developed nation working on the principle of nation first, citizen first," he said inaugurating the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex which he renamed as Bharat Mandapam.
Modi said that when his government took office in 2014, the Indian economy was at the tenth position and now it is at the fifth position in the world.
He said that India will be one of the top three economies in the world in his third term.
The next general elections are due in May 2024.
He said that Bharat Mandapam, which will host the G20 summit in September under India's presidency, will promote conference tourism.
"World will witness rising stature of India when newly built Bharat Mandapam will host G20 summit," Modi said.
He slammed people with negative thinking for trying to stall development projects, including the convention centre.
Just like privately accepting the grandeur of Kartvya Path, a 'toli' of negative thinkers will one day acknowledge Bharat Mandapam also, he added.
The IECC complex is India's largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination. In terms of the covered space available for events, the complex finds its place among the top exhibition and convention complexes in the world.
It comprises multiple modern facilities, including convention centres, exhibition halls and amphitheatres.
Earlier in the day, Modi performed "pooja" at the redeveloped complex and interacted with the workers who were involved in the construction of the complex and felicitated them.
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Akash Singh says signature celebration fuels motivation, reinforces dominance
Lucknow (PTI): Pacer Akash Singh caught the eye with his unique celebration during Lucknow Super Giants' win over Chennai Super Kings, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket after a wicket, a gesture he said was aimed at "motivating" himself and "asserting dominance" over batters.
The left-arm pacer pulled out a scrappy piece of paper after each of the three wickets he took in LSG seven-wicket win over CSK, with the message reading: "Akki on fire -- Akash knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket.
The 24-year-old, who began his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals and was part of Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2023 before moving to Lucknow Super Giants, registered his best IPL figures with 3 for 26 on Friday.
"'Akki knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket', right?" Akash said when asked about the message on the piece of paper, adding that it serves as a source of motivation and helps him focus on dominating batters and delivering stronger performances for the team.
"Different things motivate different people. Some days I show the paper, some days I don't, but it reflects my mindset on that particular day. When you carry a piece of paper with something written on it, you manifest things and the most important part is when those manifestations actually materialise," he added.
Akash, who hails from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, said the strong backing from the Lucknow Super Giants support staff over the last two years had played a huge role in his growth as a cricketer.
"I've been with LSG for two years and the most important thing has been the backing from the coaches, even when I'm not in the playing XI. This year we have Bharat Arun sir, last year Zaheer sir was there...Tom Moody. The way they guide us, prepare us and keep us ready for opportunities is very important when there are 25 players in the squad," he said.
"When you are not playing, you naturally seek backing and every player wants to make the most of the opportunities he gets. The support from the captain also matters a lot and with Rishabh bhaiya backing you, the confidence grows and you are able to perform better," Akash said, referring to Rishabh Pant.
Akash said Pant had asked him to trust his strengths ahead of the clash against CSK.
"He told me that the new ball is my strength and that I can swing it both ways. So I just tried to make the best use of my skills. The wicket also had good bounce, so I focused on using the bouncer effectively,” added Akash.
On his success against CSK, Akash said his experience of playing in the IPL since 2020, including a stint with CSK, helped him understand the opposition batters better, while backing his own strengths with the ball also played a key role in his impressive spell.
"Obviously, when you play in the IPL and have shared the dressing room with some players, you understand their strengths and weaknesses. My focus was first to back my own strengths, then exploit their weaknesses and also make the best use of what the wicket was offering," Akash said.
Akash said he had sensed over the last two-three games that an opportunity could come his way after being repeatedly told to "be ready", though he admitted he was unfortunate not to get a chance earlier.
"Two days before the match, during practice, I was told to be ready," he said.
Clarifying that he had not been carrying the piece of paper in anticipation, Akash said he often notes down thoughts that could help improve his game..
"Whenever I’m alone or about to sleep, any thought that comes to my mind which can help my cricket, I write it down. The other night I got this thought and jotted it down on paper," he added.
