Reforms needed for development, old laws are a burden: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (December 7) said reforms are needed for development and that some laws from the past century have become a burden now, a statement that assumes significance amid the protest being held by farmers demanding the rollback of the new farm laws.

Inaugurating the construction work of the Agra metro rail project through video conference, Modi said the reforms carried out by his government are also getting reflected in election results.

PM Modi’s remarks on the importance of reforms come ahead of tomorrow’s Bharat Bandh over the three new farm laws enacted by his government. But during his address, he made no direct reference to the new laws or the farmers’ protests.

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“Reforms are needed for development. Reforms are very much needed for a new order and to give new facilities. We cannot build the next century with the laws of the previous century,” he said.

“Some laws that used to be good in the past century have become a burden in the present century. Reforms should be a continuous process,” he added.

Modi said his government is carrying out “holistic reforms”. “Earlier, reforms used to happen in a piecemeal manner, or keeping in mind some sectors and departments,” the prime minister said.

He said the reforms carried out in recent past have infused self-confidence in the country, adding that people will be satisfied when they go through the “finer details”.

“This confidence has been seen in every election in the recent past. A glimpse of this confidence is seen in the election results in every part of the country, including Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

The PM said in recent years the poor and the middle class have showered their “unprecedented blessings” on the efforts of the government. He said their support and the small joys experienced by the countrymen “gives me the courage to do new things and take new initiatives”.

Speaking at the programme to begin construction of Agra Metro Rail Project. https://t.co/xDQLUUfrrZ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2020

The PM said that more than ₹100 lakh crore will be spent under the National Infrastructure Pipeline Project. Work is also being done on the Multi-modal Connectivity Infrastructure Master Plan. He added that efforts are on to attract investment from all over the world to improve the country’s infrastructure.

Modi said that post 2014, 450 km of metro line has been operationalised against a mere 225 km before that. He also said that work on 1,000 km metro lines is progressing expeditiously. This work is on in 27 cities of the county.

The Agra metro project comprises two corridors with a total length of 29.4 km and connects major tourist attractions like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Sikandra with railway stations and bus stands.

Agra has a population of 26 lakh more than 60 lakh tourists visit the city every year. The estimated cost of the project, which will be completed in five years, is ₹8,379.62 crore.

(With inputs from PTI)