India stands with people of Sri Lanka: MEA
New Delhi(PTI): In its first reaction to the flurry of fast-paced developments in Colombo, India on Sunday said it stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means, values and constitutional framework.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India continues to closely follow the developments in Sri Lanka and that it is aware of the many challenges that the country and its people have been facing.
Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday announced that he will resign after angry protesters stormed his official residence and set Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's private residence on fire.
"We are aware of the many challenges that Sri Lanka and its people have been facing, and we have stood with the Sri Lankan people as they have tried to overcome this difficult period," Bagchi said.
"India stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realise their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values, established institutions and constitutional framework, he said.
He also referred to India's financial aid to help the island country deal with its severe economic crisis.
"In pursuance of the central place that Sri Lanka occupies in our Neighbourhood First policy, India has extended this year itself an unprecedented support of over USD 3.8 billion for ameliorating the serious economic situation in Sri Lanka," Bagchi said.
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Remittance-based economy cannot benefit Kerala: Union Minister Amit Shah
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Union Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that a remittance-based economy alone cannot benefit Kerala and called for a more inclusive development model for the state.
Addressing a conclave organised by Kerala Kaumudi, a leading Malayalam daily here, Shah said Kerala needed an economic model that ensured development for all citizens.
"If we truly care about the development of every citizen of Kerala, then a remittance-based economy cannot benefit the state. We welcome remittances, and they should continue to come, but the development of every citizen cannot be achieved through remittances alone," he said.
Raising the issue of inclusivity, Shah asked what would happen to those whose family members were not working abroad.
"We need to build an economic model that develops everyone, instead of relying solely on remittances. Remittances can be a part of it, but not the only pillar," he said.
He added that while remittances should not be reduced, more opportunities must be created within the state.
"The potential of tourism must be fully explored, and the education sector in Kerala also needs to be expanded," he said.
Shah said Kerala should fully tap its potential in maritime trade. He also pointed out that the state’s Ayurveda sector, medicinal products, and spices had global appeal and needed to be promoted.
He said the state had scope to develop industries such as data storage, IT, and semiconductors, which do not require large tracts of land but demand high intellectual capability.
"By strengthening the remittance-based economy, Kerala must also adopt a comprehensive and inclusive development model that takes the state forward. This will bring development opportunities to every citizen," he said.
Shah said the BJP had envisioned a developed Kerala and that the state was endowed with immense potential.
"Kerala’s culture, literature, and passion for education make it one of the top states in the country. From Ayurveda to IT, from sports to startups, and from backwaters to intellectual discourse, Kerala has excelled in many fields," he said.
He alleged that the alternating cycle of power between the two political alliances in Kerala had resulted in "political stagnation."
"I have come to appeal to the people of Kerala for a new idea, new blood, and a new kind of politics," he said.
Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the only leader in Indian history to envision diverse development spanning renewable energy, power generation, and environmental protection.
"In 2014, India was the 11th largest economy in the world. In just 11 years, we have risen to the fourth position, and before December 2027, we will become the world’s third-largest economy," he said.
He said infrastructure growth in the country had increased by around 610 per cent and that India now accounted for 50 per cent of the world’s digital transactions.
"In the past 11 years, we have provided houses, gas connections, drinking water, electricity, free ration, and health insurance to 60 crore poor people, fulfilling basic needs that had remained unmet for two generations," he said.
Shah added that 27 crore people had moved above the poverty line in the last 10 years.
"Along with infrastructure development, manufacturing growth, record foreign investment, export expansion, and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, lifting 27 crore people out of poverty reflects India’s model of holistic development," he said.
