Nagpur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday that the country, aiming to become USD five trillion economy by 2024, needs enhanced disaster management and fire service capabilities. He was speaking after inaugurating a new campus of the National Fire Service College here, laying the foundation stone for an NDRF Academy and distribution of Fire Service Gallantry Medals.
“When our government was formed in 2014 under the leadership of Narendra Modi, our economy was two trillion dollars, and we were at 11th place in the world rankings. By 2019, within five years we added one trillion dollars to the economy,” the home minister informed.
“In 70 years we became two trillion dollars economy and within five years we worked towards increasing it by one trillion dollars. So you can understand how we have progressed. We have set a target that before the next elections and if possible before the completion of 75 years of India’s Independence, we will become five trillion dollars economy,” Shah pointed out.
“And if we want to move in that direction then we will need to work on many areas like infrastructure development, industrial development and urban development. And during this period, both disaster management and fire services become very important areas as regards citizens’ safety,” Shah added.
The National Disaster Response Force Academy will come up within 18 months, informed Shah.
Like he does in most of his speech, Shah did not forget to take a jibe at the opposition.
“During the Congress rule, one government performed ‘bhoomi-pujan’ (ground-breaking ceremony), another gave funds and a third started construction and a fourth completed the project,” Shah pointed out.
But under the Modi regime, ‘the government which performs bhoomi-pujan also dedicates the project to people (by completing it),” added the Union Minister.
PTI