India lost a decade under UPA rule: Narendra Modi

Accusing the Congress-led UPA government of pushing back the country by a decade, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today said that he would endeavour to provide effective governance as it was more important than good policies.

"We need direction, determination and dedication... We need good governance. Bad governance is like diabetes which invites all kinds of ailments", he said while unveiling his vision for development at a seminar on 'A New Growth Paradigm for India'.

Modi further said: "We have reached a stage where the country is slipping back... We have lost a decade, we have to start afresh. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee left, the growth was 8.4 per cent, now the growth has come down to 4.8 per cent." India, he said, was not only suffering from fiscal deficit but also from "governance deficit, trust deficit, security deficit and moral deficit.

"There is despondency. We have lost confidence. If we can regain confidence, we can not only move but can also run." Observing that India is a young country with democratic institutions and demand for products, Modi said, "we should consider them as strengths and make policies keeping them in view".

Referring to specific issues, Modi said that he would attempt to focus equally on the three pillars of growth -- manufacturing, agriculture and services sectors, and try to bridge the gap between rich and poor to make development more inclusive.