The Modi-led government is building a strong foundation with a strategy that transcends election and business cycles, aiming to transform India into a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics & IT Minister, said on Tuesday.
The foundation is being built on four pillars of investment in social, physical and digital infrastructure; ensuring an inclusive and harmonious society; creating manufacturing and innovation ecosystem; and simplifying compliance and legal structure, Vaishnaw said at the symposium organised by Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) in the Capital.
“The intent of the Modi government is to make sure that we lay the foundation so well that whatever we have done in the last 10 years and whatever we do in this five years (Modi’s third term) will be beyond the cycles of elections, business cycles and beyond the capability of destructive mindsets. That is our thought process,” he said.
Vaishnaw said that India’s economic growth momentum is very strong and noted that the median age of population is 29 years. “Trust, talent and demographic advantage that our country has will continue to be there in 2047. Even in 2047, we will still be a young nation with a median age of 37 years,” he said.
“With this foundation that we are building and the clearly-defined roadmap we have in front of us, if we combine the energy of the government, public sector and energy of private sector…together we can build the Viksit Bharat of our dreams”.
Vaishnaw also noted that “quality” is an important topic that can make a transformational difference in the country’s journey to ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
He also highlighted the rapid strides made in social infrastructure in the last 10 years, noting that it is something that is less understood by the populace. “ In the last 10 years, the number of IITs have doubled. The number of IIMs have doubled. Practically, India is seeing a new university getting opened every week.
IFQM-iGOT Karmayogi
Vaishnaw also urged the IFQM to contribute and upload useful quality-related courses in the ‘Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) Karmayogi, which is a comprehensive online platform to guide individual civil service officials in their capacity-building journey.
He expressed hope that IFQM will touch all parts of the economy — public sector, private sector, large corporates and SME sector.
Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, Venu Srinivasan, Chairman - IFQM and Chairman Emeritus - TVS Motor Company, highlighted that IFQM differs from a consultant model. It is more developed in the Indian gurukul model, where students and teachers live and learn together. “Quality begins with education and ends with education. The industry must understand that the competition now comes from other industries, not necessarily from one’s own. IFQM, through a unique model, allows its members to visit their facilities and share their journey, as well as their weaknesses and strengths. It helps build a strong leadership,” he said.
Instituted in 2023, IFQM is committed to the promotion of transformative changes across Indian industries. It seeks to institutionalise a culture of quality that meetsand exceeds global standards. It is about bringing in continuous improvements of both products and services, thereby elevating the perception about Brand India.