Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India had lifted 250 million people out of poverty over the past decade, arguing that the government should focus on empowering citizens instead of making them dependent on public systems.
Addressing the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi, Modi said the purpose of government authority should be to strengthen people’s capabilities and help them improve their lives.
“The government has authority, but its purpose should not be to make its citizens dependent on the system,” Modi said, adding that India was moving towards an approach centred on citizen empowerment.
He said the country’s poverty-reduction progress over the last ten years represented a significant achievement, comparing the number of people covered by the claim with the populations of many countries.
From Government Power to Citizen Empowerment
Modi also called for a broader rethink of how power is exercised in a world increasingly shaped by technology, data and innovation.
He argued that technological progress should benefit millions of people rather than remain concentrated among a privileged few. According to the Prime Minister, access to knowledge and opportunities should be central to economic development.
The remarks placed the distribution of technology’s benefits alongside economic growth as a measure of progress. The broader message was that innovation should help people develop skills, participate in the economy and improve their livelihoods.
Modi Highlights India’s Digital Reach
The Prime Minister also pointed to India’s large digital audience as an example of how technology can expand access to information and opportunities.
He cited more than 500 million users each on YouTube and Instagram, highlighting the scale of digital adoption in the country.
Modi argued that this reach creates opportunities to distribute knowledge more widely and connect people with resources that can support personal and economic development.
His address linked India’s reported poverty-reduction progress with a broader vision of governance in which public institutions and technological innovation help citizens become more capable and self-reliant.
For official updates on government initiatives, visit the Prime Minister of India’s website.
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