Focus on 'skill, scale and speed' to compete with China: PM Narendra Modi

Viewing China as a benchmark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India will have to focus on "skill, scale and speed" of development to compete with the neighbour and bring about revolutionary changes in agriculture and energy sectors. He talked about plans to build 100 smart cities in the country to generate employment while noting that urbanisation should be treated as an opportunity rather than a problem.

"If India has to compete with China, the focus should be on skill, scale and speed," Modi said after releasing a book 'Getting India Back on Track – an action agenda for reform' at his residence here. His mention about competing with China significantly came on a day when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in India and held talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on ways to cooperate, particularly in the field of economy and trade.

Noting that 65 per cent of India's population is below 35 years of age, the Prime Minister said the country needs to exploit the demographic dividend. "For this skill development needs to be a priority area," he said. Referring to skills such as teaching, nursing and paramedics, he said good teachers was one of the biggest needs of society, but rued that there were very few good teachers available.

"Can India become an exporter of good teachers who would capture the imagination of an entire generation globally," the Prime Minister asked. Modi cited the three colours of the national flag while speaking on the need to develop key sectors for overall growth of the country.

Beginning with green, he said India needs to bring about a second green revolution focusing on increased agro-productivity, value addition, agro technology, and decentralisation of warehousing.