Politicians are two types, one who make promises and second who assure that they will keep the promises in future.
The above phrase insists that the politicians are not action oriented. Is Modi a two mouth politician or he is an exception? Let's find out.
Standing before India on the first anniversary of his swearing-in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gave a speech that was notable for the subjects it avoided: Large-scale job creation. Manufacturing. Urbanization.
Modi vows that the Government remains favorable for farmers, instead of "big industrialists". He praised the poor, who he said "will become my warriors."
On the other hand, critics claim that the outsize expectations he created among masses is another reason for the opponents to pin point him.
Since then, India's business culture has indeed changed, chief executives say. They rejoice that they no longer have to notarize all documents submitted to the government and say that it is far easier to find bureaucrats at their desks during the workday.
By most measures, India's economy has had a good year.
The government has introduced a flurry of changes: It has deregulated prices for diesel, petroleum and cooking gas, and raised limits on foreign investment in the defense and insurance sectors to 49 per cent. It has opened 125 million bank accounts for poor families, with the goal of eventually replacing food and fuel subsidies with cash transfers to prevent corruption. Coalfield leases, found to have been sold at artificially low prices, were reallocated through a transparent process; so were telecom spectrum allocations.
Raghuram Rajan, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, told an audience in New York last week that many people saw Modi as "Ronald Reagan on a white horse" coming to slay anti-market forces, which attracted mixed reactions.
He added that the government "has taken steps to create the environment for investment, which I think is important."
However, the chaiwala turned Prime Minister also has grabbed the attention of the world by making relentless foreign visits.
Modi's only risky change to date, which backfired this spring is easing the government's ability to obtain land for development. When he tries to transform it into a permanent law the rejuvenated opposition declared Modi as "anti-farmer."
Despite the low spirited ones commenting “where are the good days and why hasn’t growth picked up”?, analysts and economists nodded that India is on a very sound footing and feel we can now drive hard for growth.
But that doesn't mean that all the one year of time is a Golden period for the nation. Besides, the BJP blowing their own trumpet about the development, the nation has witnessed over the one year governance, it seems that the Government’s “Achche din” has came only for its leaders and the corporate heads. Much of BJP’s agenda is still lying on the paper.
So when will Moid’s promises such as job growth and other businesses shed out their ‘Wait-and-See’ mode and get a quick start? Wait and see.
- Manohar
