PM Modi Challenges "Hindu Rate of Growth" Concept While Unveiling Major Governance Reforms at Leadership Summit

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the 23rd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, criticized attempts to associate Hindu faith with India's historical growth challenges.

"There is an attempt to malign the Hindu way of life by terming India's slow growth a few decades ago as the Hindu rate of growth," Prime Minister Modi stated.

PM Modi emphasized India's role as a bridge builder in a fragmented world.

"We are at a juncture where 1/4th of the 21st century has passed, and the world has seen many ups and downs - financial crisis, global pandemic, etc. These situations challenged the world... today amid uncertainties, India appears in a different league. India is full of self-confidence," PM Modi declared. "When the world talks about slowdown, India writes stories of growth. When the world faces trust crisis, India becomes a pillar of trust."

Taking aim at previous administrations, the Prime Minister said earlier governments "did not have faith in their own citizens."

"Our government broke that way of working. A citizen's self-attested document is enough to prove its authenticity," he asserted.

The Prime Minister highlighted that a government's "biggest aspect" is the trust citizens place in it.

"We have to make the country rid of the colonial mindset from every corner. I want to take the citizens forward with the vision for the next 10 years," PM Modi said.

He announced that self-attestation would now be sufficient for many official processes, a reform aimed at reducing bureaucracy and empowering citizens.

These changes, he explained, are part of the Jan Vishwas Bill Provisions, which also decriminalize minor compliance issues to ease burdens on ordinary people.

PM Modi highlighted the transformative impact of guarantee-free loans, noting that Rs 37 lakh crore has been disbursed to small vendors, hawkers, and economically weaker sections.

"Even those requesting just Rs 1,000 are receiving loans without guarantees. This is governance that trusts its people," he stated, emphasizing his administration's commitment to financial inclusion.

Addressing unclaimed funds, the Prime Minister revealed significant figures: Rs 78,000 crore sitting idle in banks, Rs 14,000 crore with insurance companies, Rs 3,000 crore in mutual funds, and Rs 9,000 crore in dividends.

He mentioned the government has initiated special district-level camps to help citizens reclaim their rightful earnings, with thousands of crores already returned.

"This is Modi searching for people to claim their hard-earned money," the Prime Minister remarked, emphasizing that restoring public faith represents the government's greatest capital.

In a personal appeal, PM Modi urged citizens to abandon what he called "Macaulay's slavery mindset" by 2035, establishing a ten-year goal to overcome colonial legacies.

With folded hands, the Prime Minister concluded: "I cannot do this without the support of the people of this country. We must not follow the footprints of others -- we have to make our line bigger. Against all odds, we must march ahead."