What the Narendra Modi government has done for social security in India is “absolutely historic”, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said Sunday at the Outlook SpeakOut ‘Reimagining Odisha’ event, adding that Odisha has key services-driven industries like tourism and garments, that give it a natural competitive advantage.
Addressing a packed house at the OutlookSpeakOut event in Bhubaneswar, Sinha said India has been able to achieve a level of macroeconomic stability that is essential for economic growth.
“What our government done for social security in this country is absolutely historic. We have created a full package of social security measures.
Speaking on the topic of the event, ‘ReImagining Odisha’, the Minister said: “What can we do when it comes to Reimagining Odisha's development?
“For Odisha, there are three services-driven industries that are based on the state's natural competitive advantage,” he said, and listed tourism and textiles as two important sectors that Odisha can stress on. He also listed outward migration an issue that can be tackled with building the right infrastructure.
Sinha said the state’s tourism industry “can be a real game changer for Odisha”.
“Every time I come to Odisha, I am struck by how beautiful this place is.”
On Outward Migration, he said it can be tackled by creation of the “right infrastructure and campus for IT services”, that is something which is going to grow.
On the garments industry, Sinha said the industry is “likely to grow very fast in Odisha”.
Referring to the farm to factory development model, he said: “In today's global economy, we cannot follow the farm to factory development model.
“The farm to factory development model for India would be quite challenging, I won't be an advocate for that.
“What I advocate is for the 'farm to frontier' development model. Rather than putting our people into factories, put them into frontier industries.”
Referring to connectivity, he said that now different parts of the country are getting connected “in a way that was inconceivable earlier”.
“Earlier, flying was considered only for the elite. Today, it has become a mass service.”
