Goyal asks business community to give priority to products made in India

 

The Minister stressed on the need to promote industry and manufacturing in India and said that this would help in promoting employment and bring prosperity

New Delhi: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday asked the Indian business community to give priority to products made in India.

Addressing the All India Vaish Federation (AIYF) in Hyderabad, the Minister stressed on the need to promote industry and manufacturing in India and said that this would help in promoting employment and bringing prosperity.

Supporting PM Modi's call for tourists to spend at least 5% of their travel budget on local products, the Minister said that our talented artisans, craftsmen and entrepreneurs should be supported and promoted.

Goyal said that India's GDP has grown 11.8 times in the last 30 years. He said that there was a time when a large section of the population was focused on securing basic necessities of life like food, clothing and housing.

The minister said that the situation has now improved significantly due to the government's extensive focus on structural reforms, which ensure that people are freed from the constant struggle for the necessities of life.

He said the reform that was closest to his heart was the success of the government in constructing over 12 crore toilets in every household in the country, safe sanitation, a very basic requirement. "It is not just a matter of toilets, but a matter of honor and self-respect, especially for our women," Goyal insisted.

The minister said that the government has ensured food security under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by supplying food grains to about 80 crore citizens and an additional 5 kg of food grains per person per month. He said that it should be a matter of satisfaction for the taxpayers that their money is being properly used to help the needy.

The Minister spoke about the need to secure the basic needs of women, especially menstrual hygiene. Expressing concern over girls dropping out of school at their puberty, the Minister stressed that the government is providing sanitary napkins at very low cost.

Goyal called for more awareness programs to educate women about various aspects of menstrual hygiene to protect and empower women. The Minister asked AIVF to make efforts to ensure that every woman in the country has awareness and access to sanitary pads in the next one year.

The Minister stressed that India is ready to take decisive steps towards becoming a developed nation, Vishwa Guru. He expressed confidence that India's vast youth population has the potential to take this discovery forward. "India is the only bright spot in the world today. The world is looking at India with great hope."

Goyal mentioned that developed countries are now keen to enter into FTA with India and added that the fastest FTA in the world was concluded between India and UAE in just 88 days. He said that rest of the GCC countries are also preparing to sign FTA with India.

The Minister spoke about the Prime Minister's emphasis on the need to go back to its roots and said that India's history, its culture, traditions and value systems have great strength. He called for an end to social discrimination and said that divisive tendencies have no place in New India.