‘India’s booming economy will soon surpass that of Britain’

I have made a commitment... education to every child, irrigation to every farm, income to every youngster and medicine to every senior citizen... NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister

AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday India’s economy will soon surpass that of Britain even as he took a veiled dig at the Opposition. Speaking at the inauguration of an LNG terminal at Mundra port in Gujarat, Modi said some people were “sceptical about everything”.

“But I am not here to waste time. I am here to take the country ahead,” the PM said, listing his government’s development programmes. “I have made a commitment to myself — of providing education to every child, irrigation to every farm, income to every youngster and medicine to every senior citizen. When you have given us this responsibility, we are committed to fulfil every requirement,” he said.

Mundra was the second stop of of Modi’s day-long visit to his home state where he inaugurated and laid foundations for projects worth over ~17,000 crore.

“The day is not far when our country’s economy will surpass Britain’s economy,” Modi said, hailing the government’s performance in areas such as aviation and electrification.

After surpassing France this year, Indian economy is poised to become the fifth largest economy by overtaking Britain next year. He inaugurated various plants, including a chocolate plant, by Amul at Anand.

His last stop was at Rajkot, where he opened a museum on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. He hailed the Amul dairy co-operative for providing an “alternate model of economy” to the world.

Modi also called India’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel a pioneer of the co-operative movement.