Coronavirus pandemic an opportunity for bold decisions and investments: PM Modi

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the 95th annual plenary session of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata via video conference and talked about the opportunities that may have arisen due to coronavirus pandemic.

Pushing his earlier bid of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', PM Narendra Modi said we need to create alternatives for things which India imports from outside. And produce them in such a quantity that we export them to the world.

“In the last five-six years, India’s goal of self- reliance has been paramount in the policy and practice of the government. The COVID-19 crisis gave us lessons on how to speed up efforts in that direction. It is from this lesson - Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign has started.

It is time for bold decisions and bold investments, and not for conservative approaches. This also is the time to move from command and control economy to plug-and-play and to build a competitive global supply chain,” he said.

PM Modi said that it is time when everyone should come together and contribute in making India an exporter of things it is currently importing from other countries.

Appreciating the efforts of small traders, he said, that when we buy local produce from them, we are not just paying them for their goods and services, but are rewarding their contributions.

“India is fighting multiple challenges along with COVID-19, including floods, locust attack, earthquakes...We have to turn crises into opportunity for creating an Atmanirbhar and take steps to ensure that products which we import from elsewhere are manufactured in India,” Modi said.