Govt to play enabler not handler, India never had more decisive government: PM Modi
New Delhi(PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday cited his dispensation's push for wide-ranging reforms, including the privatisation of Air India, to assert that the country never had a more decisive government .
Launching the Indian Space Association (ISpA), an industry body aspiring to be the voice of the country's space sector, Modi noted that fields like mining, coal, defence and space have been opened to private players, and said his government's clear policy about public sector enterprises is to open those to private industry where its presence is not required.
While opening a host of sectors, the government has built a regulatory environment in which priority has been given to national interest as well as the interests of different stakeholders, he said.
The prime minister referred to the successful bid to privatise loss-making government-run airline Air India, and said this shows his dispensation's commitment and seriousness.
An unshakable faith in India's capabilities and the belief that it is not an iota less than any other country in the world are driving its approach and reforms in the 21st century, Modi told the audience after members of the space sector shared their views.
It is the government's responsibility to remove any obstacle in that direction, and the government is leaving no stone unturned for this. India never had a more decisive government, he said, adding that the reforms related to the space sector and technology are a part of these efforts.
Space sector, he noted, was once synonymous with the government sector but his government has worked to change this mindset.
He said this is not a time for linear innovations for the country but for exponential innovation and this, Modi added, will be made possible when the government plays the role of an enabler and not handler.
That is why it has been sharing expertise in sectors ranging from defence to space, he noted.
He said India is seeing reforms on such a wide scale because its vision is clear, which is about having an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.
This is not merely a vision but a well-though, planned and integrated economic strategy too, he said, adding that it is aimed at making India a powerhouse of global manufacturing.
Modi said his government's approach to reforms in the space sector is based on four pillars; allowing the private sector freedom of innovation, government playing the enabler's role, preparing youngsters for the future and envisioning the sector as a resource to help the common man's development.
He said India is among the few countries which has end-to-end technology in the space sector and called upon the industry to work to make the country a part of supply chain for the end-to-end space system.
As a partner, the government has been helping industry, young innovators, start-ups and will continue doing so, he added.
The prime minister observed that a tendency of trying to rule the space and the space sector divided the world in the 20th century, and said India will have to ensure in the 21st century that the field plays an important role in uniting and connecting the world.
The space sector is a major medium for the progress of 130 crore countrymen, Modi said, adding the field for India means better mapping, imaging, and connectivity facilities to help people.
The space sector also means better speed from shipment to delivery for entrepreneurs, this also means better security and income for fishermen and better forecast of natural calamities, he added.
During the last seven years, space technology has been converted into a tool of last-mile delivery and providing leakage-free and transparent governance, he said.
The prime minister emphasised the importance of making technology accessible to everyone.
Giving an example of the use of digital technology, he said India is among the top digital economies today because it could make the power of data accessible to the poorest of the poor.
He also expressed confidence that through the suggestions of all stakeholders a better Spacecom policy and Remote Sensing Policy, which is in the final stages, will soon emerge.
Noting that it is also the International Girl Child Day on Monday, Modi expressed hope that women will play a bigger role in the space field in the coming days, and said the sector will have an important contribution in shaping India's journey when it celebrates its 100th independence day in 2047.
The ISpA will undertake policy advocacy and engage with all stakeholders in the Indian space domain, including the government and its agencies, the government has said.
Echoing the prime minister's vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', the ISpA will help in making India self-reliant, technologically advanced and a leading player in the space arena, it added.
The ISpA is represented by leading home grown and global corporations with advanced capabilities in space and satellite technologies. Its founding members include Larsen & Toubro, Nelco (Tata Group), OneWeb, Bharti Airtel, Mapmyindia, Walchandnagar Industries and Ananth Technology Ltd.
Other core members include Godrej, Hughes India, Azista-BST Aerospace Private Ltd, BEL, Centum Electronics and Maxar India.
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Slovakia's Prime Minister wounded in shooting
Bratislava (Slovakia), May 15: Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded in a shooting Wednesday afternoon and taken to hospital.
Reports on TA3, a Slovakian TV station, said that Fico, 59, was hit in the stomach after four shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova, some 150 kilometers northeast of the capital, where the leader was meeting with supporters. A suspect has been detained, it said.
Police sealed off the scene, and Fico was taken to a hospital in Banska Bystrica.
The shooting in Slovakia comes three weeks ahead of crucial European Parliament elections, in which populist and hard-right parties in the 27-nation bloc appear poised to make gains.
Deputy speaker of parliament Lubos Blaha confirmed the incident during a session of Slovakia's Parliament and adjourned it until further notice, the Slovak TASR news agency said.
Slovakia's major opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia and Freedom and Solidarity, canceled a planned protest against a controversial government plan to overhaul public broadcasting that they say would give the government full control of public radio and television.
“We absolutely and strongly condemn violence and today's shooting of Premier Robert Fico" said Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Simecka. “At the same time we call on all politicians to refrain from any expressions and steps which could contribute to further increasing the tension.”
President Zuzana Caputova condemned “a brutal and ruthless” attack on the premier.
“I'm shocked,” Caputova said. “I wish Robert Fico a lot of strength in this critical moment and a quick recovery from this attack.”
Fico, a third-time premier, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party, won Slovakia's Sept. 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
Critics worried Slovakia under Fico would abandon the country's pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary under populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Thousands have repeatedly rallied in the capital and across Slovakia to protest Fico's policies.
Condemnations of political violence quickly came from leaders across Europe, although no motive for the attack was immediately apparent.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she described as a “vile attack.”
“Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good,” von der Leyen said in a post on X.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala called the incident “shocking,” adding “I wish the premier to get well soon. We cannot tolerate violence, there's no place for it in society.” The Czech Republic and Slovakia formed Czechoslovakia till 1992.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social media network X: “Shocking news from Slovakia. Robert, my thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment.”
