Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhanhas appealed to every citizen of the country to contribute in the making of a prosperous and self-reliant India. Addressing a web conference on ‘Building Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by  PHDCCI today, he shared his views on Prime Minister’s vision of #AatmanirbharBharat and its role in transforming India into a global manufacturing hub that not only caters to own requirements, but also of the world.

Shri Pradhan said that today, India is becoming a role model for emerging economies. “Our focus is on serving the last man in the society and truly achieve the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.  India is rich in natural resources, has demographic dividend, widespread availability of ports that offer a conducive ecosystem to businesses and industries. We are working to build an India of 21st century that is able to fulfill its own requirements and also of the world”, he added.

The Minister said that from Swadesi movement &Dandi march by Mahatma Gandhi to the clarion call of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the philosophy of 'aatmanirbharta' has been the constant driving force behind building a more resilient and self-reliant India. He said that Corona crisis has not dampened the spirit of the countrymen, and the country’s economy is on the path of revival. The GST collections last month were 4% more than the corresponding period last year, the Railway freight has shot up 15%, and exports are up 5%. Sale of petrol and diesel has also reached the normal levels.

The Minister said that the Government is working to make India a manufacturing hub, and also move towards the knowledge based economy. He reiterated that the Government has no business to be in the business, and it should focus only on people’s welfare. In this direction, he said, the Government has taken initiatives for ease of doing business, adopting transparent procedures, eliminating corruption, and respecting the wealth creators.  Talking about the initiatives in the Petroleum and Natural Gas sector, he said that the LPG connections have reached 95% of the population, including over 8 crore poor families. BS-VI standard fuels have been introduced this April. Energy justice is being ensured. The Minister said that Steel sector has also been contributing in the export push of the country.

YB/SK