'We will do it': PM Modi's self-confidence mantra for 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 | India News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who completed 25 years in public service and as the head of government on Wednesday, said that to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat or developed India by 2047, the country and its people will have to forge ahead with the mantra of ‘We will do it'.He also set a bunch of targets for the country to achieve, including becoming the third-largest economy, a manufacturing hub, and a market leader.Speaking at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabah, an event organised to mark his 25-year-long journey in public service, the PM said India should aspire to achieve these targets by 2047, and cited the example of how a country that was broken by wars, attacks and foreign subjugation had dreamt of freedom over a 100 years ago. “...We got freedom because the people of this country sacrificed their lives, and today, when we have to be a developed nation, we have to live for the country,” he said.Asserting that the dream of a developed India is not impossible, he drew parallels with the freedom struggle.“Our dream today of a developed India will surely come true. There is no reason for India to stop now. A 100 years ago, we were even less than 40 crore; today, we are more than 140 crore. The 140 crore countrymen together will build a developed India by 2047, and we certainly will. We Will Do It!” he said amid loud cheering from the audience.Urging Indians to lead the way in AI, space technology, and climate crisis management, he said there should be a time when solutions adopted by India are replicated globally.“Today, the world is talking about India’s pilot (Smit Machchar). A day will come when the world will talk about Made-in-India aircraft. These goals will be achieved through visionary policies and relentless hard work. India may have challenges, but we also have 140 crore solutions,” he said.He said the targets may be hard, but the citizens' resilience and diligencewould make the accomplishment a reality.“What seemed unimaginable once has become possible. Who would have thought that 25 crore people could rise out of poverty within a decade? Yet India made it happen,” he said.He said this was the time to set new goals that are extraordinary and ambitious. “Whether it is education, entertainment, health and wellness, sports, innovation or technology, the world should look at India. Our goals must be such that the Tricolour rises with pride in every field,” he said.Reflecting on the accomplishments of his government at the centre since 2014, he said after 12 years, the picture has changed entirely, and the resilience of the Indian economy is now acknowledged. He subtly compared the governance record of the NDA and the UPA.“Then (before 2014) they used to talk about policy paralysis, and today we talk about the reforms express; then they were trying to look for ideas to increase imports, and today we are creating new records for exports…The decade from 2015 to 2025 has broken all records of agricultural growth. This happens when you have intent and policies,” he said.Potshots at the oppositionTaking potshots at the opposition, he said one of the biggest challenges that the country has faced is the tendency to divide society along the lines of votes. “But when a farmer’s field lacks water, does the problem affect only one caste? When there is no electricity, does darkness fall only on one community? The answer is no. If the problem belongs to everyone, the solution must be for everyone,” he said.He also hit out at the opposition, without naming anyone, by pointing out how problems such as Naxal terror were not confronted, nor were attempts made to read down Article 370 from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.“The problem of Article 370 seemed unending but today article 370 is gone, similarly the problem of naxalism had been accepted but today we have broken the spine of Naxal violence. Humne ghar mein ghus ke mara…,” he said.Challenges in 25 yearsThe PM, who was sworn in as the chief minister of Gujarat on this day in 2001, went on to recount how he overcame challenges in administering the state and reflected on his journey.“I had never thought that such a milestone would come one day when I took the oath of office on October 7 in Gujarat. Today I have completed 25 years as the head of government, and I have been serving continuously for these years. This is a result of the blessings that people have been giving me, and I expressed gratitude…” he said.These 25 years in office, he said, have given him the opportunity to serve people. “Today I expressed gratitude to India’s constitution and democracy,” he said while also expressing gratitude to the people who elected him, his party colleagues and NDA allies.The PM said earlier in the day that he visited a temple to pray not only for the country but also for himself, so he could serve people better.“I prayed for the people at the temple this morning and for myself as well that I should get strength and courage to do more work with greater energy for my country. I should be able to serve my countrymen more…” he said.Hunger to learnHe also referred to himself as a student and said that the hunger for learning he had in school still drives him.“When I used to go to school in Vadnagar, I was one of the students who would reach the class first. I had the hunger to learn. It has become a part of my life. Even today, I think of myself as a student. I try to learn something new every day, and therefore when I went to the temple today I prayed that my capacity to learn should never be reduced,” he said.The PM went on to say that he learnt from people and events, and even those who opposed and criticised him, had something to teach him.“I feel gratitude towards every person and event that taught me something. The one who made me win taught me to be humble. The one who made me fall taught me to stand up again. Well-wishers encouraged me, and critics taught me to look within myself. The one who stood by me showed me the power of faith. The one who opposed me explained to me the power of democracy. Every crisis tested my patience, every success expanded my responsibilities, and every achievement gave me the courage and determination to move toward greater goals,” he said.Events such as the floods in Morbi, the earthquake in Bhuj, the initial failure of Chandrayaan, and the Covid pandemic, he said, taught him lessons.He said that the journey to the head of government is seen as an achievement, but for him, this is not a moment for self-praise. “... But, for me, this is not a matter of personal glorification, nor is it an opportunity for that.”To review these 25 years, the purpose is not to see where I have reached but to see where my country has, he said.“When I was in Gujarat, I used to live with a mantra that the country should progress through the progress made in Gujarat. It was a time full of challenges, and I did not have experience in running a government, nor did I have knowledge of bureaucracy and administration. The only thing I had was faith in people. I took decisions, made policy and implemented it, taking people along,” he said.The experience, he said, taught him about the problems on the ground, why there can’t be solutions, why files get stuck and how to ensure last-mile delivery, et cetera.“What I learned and that experience that I had has come in handy today. In 2014, the country gave me added responsibility as Pradhan Sevak. There were problems all around and challenges everywhere, and citizens were looking for a new pathway. People had started saying that India’s economy was a lost cause; prices were sky-high, and the country needed a new dream, a new hope, and I did that. I went back to the people, with the mantra of we will do it,” he said.